! LI BRARY OF CONGRE SS. 5 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.! 



DISCOURSES 




FROM 



THE PULPIT. 



ET 

REV. WM. M. DAILY, D. D , L.L.D., 

LATE PRESIDENT OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY, 
CHAPLAIN U. S. ARMY, ETC. 




t CINCINNATI: 
E. W. CARROLL & CO., Publishers, 

73 WEST FOURTH STREET, 

OPERA-HOUSE BUILDING. 

MDCCCLXV. 

V 




Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865, 

By Eev. WM. M. DAILY, D.D., LL. D., 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern 
District of Missouri. 



TO 

THE HEART OF FAITHFUL FRIENDSHIP, 

J^S -A. MEMORIAL, 

Solum* 

IS MOST BESPECTFULLY, AXD AFFECTIONATELY, 

INSCRIBED, 
BY 

The Author. 



; 



INTRODUCTION. 



To the Reader: 

A modest, unpretending House, should have a corre- 
sponding Portico, And to insure a perfectly symmetrical 
correspondence, and adaptation, they should be designed, 
and constructed, by the same Architect, and Workman. 

In view of this rule, conceded to be a good one, this 
modest, unpretending volume of Discourses, should have 
a like Introduction, or Preface; and it should be written 
by the Author of the Discourses, himself. Hence no 
Prelate, or other great Celebrity, wreathed in laurels of 
well-earned fame, and renowned for popular productions 
of the pen, has been called upon, to herald this Book to 
the public, in an elaborate and eloquent Introduction; 
which might obscure, if not eclipse, the Discourses, by 
its dazzling brilliancy. It would be as unseemly, as, 
after the House was built, to go out in search of a new 
Architect, to construct a lofty Portico of grandeur, to 
tower up in front of an humble, but tasteful, Cottage. 

So, here is my Book, introduced by myself. The Dis- 
courses have grown up on my hands, to their present 
dimensions, from what was, at first, very brief, and 

(v) 



INTRODUCTION. 



meager notes. From varied reading, or from the inspira- 
tion of the moment, in the excitement of delivery, new 
thoughts would arise, which were added, from time to 
time, to the former meager outline. Thus, through a 
series of years of labor, as an Itinerant Preacher in the 
M. E. Church, they have, almost imperceptibly, come to 
be full-grown Discourses, True, some of them are more 
modern; prepared and delivered, of late, suggested by 
the peculiarity of the times, and growing out of the 
thrilling incidents, with which we are now surrounded. 
Some may be deemed speculative — especially the one en- 
titled, " God in Language" — yet they all set forth our 
honest, settled convictions, and the reader must judge, 
whether the positions taken, are sustained by sufficient 
force of argument, to produce conviction in the minds 
of others. Such as they are, they are now presented to 
the public, in arrangement, thought, and language, pre- 
cisely as they were delivered from the Pulpit — and hence, 
they are called "Discourses from the Pulpit." 

The style, is more of the oral, than the written. It is 
not, therefore, scholastic — and may not strictly conform 
to all the rigid rules of the books, " in such cases made 
and provided," as is expected in finished compositions. 
Indeed the fastidious Rhetorician, may, perchance, be 
offended at some of the modes of thought, and forms of 
expression — deeming them extravagant. But one thing 
is certain — The Discourses will be readily recognized by 
my friends. Their reading will call up the bright mem- 
ories of other days, and awaken afresh, those emotions 



INTRODUCTION. 



vii 



of religious joy, which kindled in their hearts, during 
seasons of "refreshing from the presence of the Lord," 
in the leafy grove, or in the Sanctuary of God. And 
this is far more gratifying, to my ambition, than the 
smiles of the Critic, or the approval of the mere book- 
made Rhetorician. Yes, to contribute to the enjoyment, 
and have the warm approbation, of the heart of friend- 
ship, is more than a recompense, for all the frowns, and 
scowls, of snarling Critics, whose greatest luxury is, to 
feed and feast, on tainted meat, and whose ire may be 
provoked, by this humble publication. 

The several Authors, to whom I am indebted, it is 
possible, may not, in every instance, be properly credited. 
If so, it has not been intentional. But it results from 
the fact, that in many instances, it was impossible for 
me to tell whether the thought, or mode of expression, 
was my own, growing out of the inspiration of the sub- 
ject, or received from some Author, read years ago, 
whose sentiments and language, / had made my own. 
This must serve as my apology, as it has been my inten- 
tion, always, to give "honor where honor was due." 

The Book is mainly intended as a memorial, for the 
friends of my youth, and such as have been companions 
of my riper years. Yet the subjects are of general in- 
terest ; and it is fondly hoped, that they are discussed, and 
illustrated, in such a way as to interest and profit the 
public generally. The Discourses are my own, and pre- 
sented by myself, to my friends, and the public, in this 
brief Introduction. 



viii 



INTRODUCTION. 



Such is the Portico to my House. My Readers are 
now invited to enter into' the House. Some will readily 
recognize the rooms, and the furniture, while to others, 
they will be new. Yet all alike, are welcomed to the 
Banquet, where our hearts will beat in unison, with God's 
banner, of Christian love, waving over us. May the Holy 
Spirit give us good cheer, in "the fellowship of the 
saints." 

This Book is my First- Born — hence, for it, I ask the 
generous indulgence of the public — praying that it may 
be made a blessing to the Church, and to the World, 
through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom, with the Fa- 
ther, and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed all glory, forever. 
Amen. 

God bless you, Reader — and believe me, 
Most Respectfully, 

Yours, in Christian bonds, 

Wm. m. daily. 

Benton Barracks, Mo., May 1, 1865. 



CONTENTS. 



Page 

Introduction v 

DISCOURSE I. 
The Flying Angel. (Rev. xiv, 6.) 11 

DISCOURSE II. 
Peace — Stability — and Prosperity of the Church. (Isa. 

xxiii, 20, 21.) 50 

DISCOURSE III. 
The Handful of Corn. (Psalm lxxii, 16, 17, 18, 19.) 73 

DISCOURSE IV. 
The Great Mystery (1 Tim. iii, 16.). 98 

DISCOURSE V. 
Life — Death — Life; or, The Three-fold State of Man. 

(Isaiah xxvi, 19.) 129 

DISCOURSE VI. 
The Tears of Jesus. A Funeral. (St. John xi, 35.) 160 

DISCOURSE VII. 

The Democracy of Christianity. (St. Mark xii, 37.) 178 

(ix) 



X 



CONTENTS. 



DISCOURSE VIII. 

Pagb 

Good News from a Far Country. (Prov. xxv, 25.) 197 

DISCOURSE IX. 
God in Language. (Gen. xi, 9, and Isaiah ii, 2.) 230 

DISCOURSE X. 
Jeremiah in the Potter's House. Day of National Humili- 
ation and Prayer. (Jeremiah xviii, 1, 2.) 255 

DISCOURSE XI. 
Our Martyred Chieftain. (2 Sam. iii, 38.) 285 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



DISCOURSE I. 

THE FLYING- ANGEL . 

11 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having 
the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the 
earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and peo- 
ple." — Rev. xiv : 6. 

The Book of the Apocalypse is a wondrous book 
of visions — many of which seem vailed in mystery ; 
others, however, are rendered exceedingly plain, by 
the unfolding history of the Church, and the onward 
march of time. Of this character is the one before 
us. The imagery is lofty — sublime ; and well worthy 
of a pen guided by tfee inspiration of God. It is a 
graphic picture of the bold, lofty, and rapid progress 
of an evangelical ministry, in heralding " the Gospel 
of the blessed God" to the ends of the earth. 

The exiled John, stands upon a lofty mount of ob- 
servation — an elevation higher than was ever before 

(11) 



12 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



occupied by mortal man. There he stood, draped in 
the mantle of the Spirit, in the presence-chamber of 
his God, wrapped in the thick-coming visions of time 
and eternity. He was wonder-struck, at the scenes of 
grandeur which rolled their gorgeous splendors upon 
his mental orb. Patmos faded from his thoughts, as 
if its desert shores, and sea-washed rocks, had never 
existed — and all around was clear, stainless immensity. 
He looks. And, behold, "an angel" appears, flitting 
across the " heavens, with the everlasting Gospel to 
preach unto them that dwell upon the earth, and to 
every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." 
A winged messenger with the message of Heaven to 
man. 

Without further circumlocution, we have here, a 
message to be evangelized — the character of the evan- 
gelist, and those to whom it is evangelized. In this 
order we treat the subject. 

I. The Message to be Evaxgelized. 

This, in the expressive language of the text, is 
" the everlasting Gospel." The word " Gospel" is 
purely of Saxon origin. It comes from two words, 
contracted, and joined together — God and spell. It 
means, literally, God's spell — or, God's charm. Our 
Saxon fathers thus named the message delivered to 
them, by the ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ. In 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



13 



great simplicity, they preached the Cross — " Jesus and 
the resurrection," to our comparatively unlettered 
ancestors ; yet it was " in demonstration of the Spirit, 
and with power." And the people seemed to undergo 
a change, as by magic — were changed in doctrine, in 
worship, in character, in morals, and in manners. In 
a word, they became "new creatures in Christ Jesus." 
These Saxons were amazed. They could see nothing 
in the simple proclamation of " Christ and him cruci- 
fied," that seemed an adequate cause, to produce such 
wonderful effects. To them it seemed a great mystery, 
and, as the only explanation they could give of it, 
they called it "the spell of God" — or, " God's 
charm " — and hence our word, " Gospel " — from 
" God's spell" And verily, " the unsearchable riches 
of Christ" amount to a charm — a spell. By the 
preaching of "Christ and him crucified," God is 
charming the world, and by it will yet hold it spell- 
hound to his throne. Wonderful charm! Glorious 
spell! 

But the word in the original Greek, which is ren- 
dered by our translators, Gospel, unfolds the meaning 
more fully. The word is Euayyzhov — which signifies 
"glad tidings," or "good news." This is the full 
import of the message evangelized, by this flying an- 
gel. It is the same as the message heralded, with all 
the rapture of heaven, to the shepherds on Bethle- 



r 



14 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 

hem's plains, by the angels. The star of Jacob, was 
rising in lovely radiance over Bethlehem, to indicate 
the Saviour's birth, when the angel announced to 
earth — "Fear not; for, behold, I .bring you good 
tidings of great joy!" And what is this good news — 
or "good tidings of great joy ?" Behold! "Unto you 
is born, this day, a Saviour, which is Christ the 
Lord ! " Such is the Scriptural definition of the Gos- 
pel. It is glad tidings of great joy to all people. 

The great work of the Divine — the Gospel minis- 
ter — is, to sustain this proposition, in all its length 
and breadth, so that all may acknowledge its truth, 
feel its force, and experience its benefits. In doing so, 
he must show that man is lost, and hence, needs a 
Saviour — that he whose birth was announced by the 
angels to the shepherds, was the true Messiah — the 
"Sent of God," to be received with joy — that he is 
God-man — to be relied upon as a competent Saviour — 
that his sufferings and death, were truly vicarious, 
actually providing salvation for the fosf-^and, finally, 
that he died for every soul of man. All these points 
made out, then how transcendently glorious, and true, 
is our proposition, that the Gospel is "glad tidings 
of great joy, to all people!" 

1. Man is lost, and needs a Saviour. Shall we 
argue this point ? All the chronicles of time prove 
it. Look out upon the face of society, in every age, 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



15 



in all countries, and the fact stares you in the face, 
that Man needs a Saviour. The sages of antiquity, 
and the philosophers of the schools, even amid the 
darkness and gloom of paganism, have all seen, and 
deeply deplored the wrecked, and ruined condition of 
man. For long ages they struggled, with laudable 
zeal, to bring the world back from moral ruin. But 
their most gigantic efforts, were stupendous failures. 
So far from saving the masses, they even failed to 
save themselves. One of the wisest and best, of all 
the number, in lecturing to his deeply inquisitive, and 
thinking pupil, Alcibiades, cried out, in his despair, 
and almost in the language of prophesy, " We never 
shall know what true moral virtue is, unless some one 
of the gods shall leave his native skies, and teach 
true virtue to man, by suffering ! " And such is the 
end of the fruitless labors of the ancient world, when 
left to itself, in search of a Saviour, which they felt, 
and acknowledged, they greatly needed. The infi- 
delity of the moderns, should be admonished, by the 
failure of the ancients, of the utter folly, and wicked 
madness, of attempting to enlighten, govern, reform, 
and save mankind, by that ignis fatuus, called " Nat- 
ural Religion." Call on nature for religion, salva- 
tion. And if she responds at all, it will be to say, 
"Alas! I am all in ruins myself! My fountains of 
waters, are all disturbed and poisoned, and can not 



16 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



send forth pure streams ! For a pure Religion, you 
must look to a higher and holier source — to the God 
of Revelation ! " If nature gives forth any light, 
upon this question, such is her testimony. 

But, with all the overwhelming evidences of the 
utter failure of unassisted nature, before us, Infidelity, 
in its madness, and innate enmity to God, and Reve- 
lation, seeks to be self-reliant — asserts its independ- 
ence — hews out for itself a cistern, only to find at last, 
that it is a a broken cistern, that can hold no water;" 
the world is made no better; and, repudiating Jesus, 
man is left to perish. In a word, man is unsaved by 
Infidelity or any of her schemes — Ignorance and Sin 
remain, the sad evidences that man still needs a 
Saviour. 

Allow that there is a God, in any thing like an in- 
telligible sense, and we may reasonably infer, from his 
well-known, and admitted, moral attributes, the lost, and 
ruined condition, of his creature man, making a Saviour 
necessary. Holiness and Goodness, are attributes of the 
Creator — whereas, the creature man, is unholy, and the 
victim of suffering and death. As the fountain gives 
character to the stream, how can we account for this 
disparity between the creature, and the character of 
the Creator? We are irresistibly driven to the con- 
clusion, that God is not man's Creator, or else, man is 
not now as he was when he came from the Creator's 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



17 



hand. And as the first supposition is preposterous, 
and absurd, the second is the logical deduction. 
There is no evading this argument. Of itself, it is 
conclusive of the truth of the doctrine of the fall, and 
man's need of a Saviour. The Bible states it thus: 
"God made man upright, but he hath sought out 
many inventions." 

Man has ruined himself. Guilt, suffering, death, 
and eternal woe, have all been entailed upon our race 
by sin and rebellion against God and his holy law. 
Universal observation, and experience, abundantly con- 
firm the plain and positive declaration of God's Word, 
as to our ruined and lost estate. "The heart of 
man " — that is, of all mankind — " is deceitful above all 
things, and it is desperately wicked." We were lost 
and ruined, in one man — our Federal Head. "By one 
man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin; for 
that all have sinned" And hence, no nation, or 
tribe, of holy men can be found, on all this terrestrial 
ball — "All are gone out of the way." Even the 
most cultivated nations of earth — the Chaldeans, Per- 
sians, Assyrians, Greeks, and Bomans, with all their 
learning and polish, all fall under the general curse, 
and evince the fact that all, all have 

'Sprung from that man, whose guilty fall, 
Corrupts his race, and taints us all." 

And the world does not improve with age. It is 
2 



18 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



made no better by its own devices. And now, the 
wisest, and the best, feeling their need of a Saviour, 
and despairing of help from earth, turn their eyes 
heavenward, as a last resort — last hope of a despair- 
ing world. 

All below the sky is desolation! The world is a 
graveyard! "Golgotha" is its inscription. Sighs 
and tears — groans and anguish — yea, the millions of 
bleeding hearts of earth, all attest man's need of a 
Saviour ! Man is guilty. Against him, sentence of 
death, has been rendered. God's anger is kindling 
for its execution. The thunders of Heaven's insulted 
Majesty, proclaim him lost ! Hopelessly lost! With- 
out a Saviour, forever lost! But, hark ! A voice di- 
vides the sky. Yes, the voice of mercy, sweet as 
angel's hymnings, is heard, rising higher, and still 
higher, above the awful din of Sinai's thunders, pro- 
claiming, " Unto you is born this day a Saviour " — 
a Saviour — and earth takes up the glad acclaim of 
heaven — " Glory to God in the highest," for, lo ! the 
bow of promise is on the cloud, and a Saviour born, 
has said to the raging tempest, " Peace, be still." 
Surely this is " glad tidings of great joy." 

But to sustain our proposition, it is necessary to 
show that 

2. The Saviour, whose birth is thus announced, is 
the true Messiah — the " sent of God" 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



19 



When the announcement is made, we inquire, with 
deep solicitude, " Is it true?" May a lost world 
have hope ? And the response comes back, that, from 
the manger to the cross, from the cross to the sep- 
ulcher — and from the sepulcher to the throne, there 
is the most ample demonstration, that Jesus is the Sent 
of God — the true 3£essiah. He refers with confi- 
dence, to what the Prophets, holy Seers of old, have 
said of him. The command is, " Search the Scrip- 
tures " — and he adds, " These are the words which I 
spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all 
things must be fulfilled which are written in the law 
of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms 
concerning me." With transport of mingled joy and 
wonder, we behold the image of the great " Sun of 
Righteousness," which before his rising, had been re- 
flected on the darkened world, by the declarations of 
the Prophets. First, a single trait is drawn, by a 
single beam of light; then, after the lapse of ages, 
another, and still another, until at length the outlines 
are fully formed. And then comes the more rapid 
filling up, with one point of resemblance after an- 
other, as the glorious dawn shone, " more and more 
unto the perfect day." And at last the finished por- 
trait rises before us, a perfect likeness of the Great 
Original, which can not be mistaken for any other 
being in the universe of God, but " Christ Jesus the 



20 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



Lord," who is "the child born," the "son given." 
And since his coming, the accomplishment, in him of 
all the prophecies concerning Messiah, seals him to 
us, to all the world, as the One " of whom Moses in 
the Law, and the Prophets did write 99 — the Saviour of 
the world. 

Isaiah foretells his birth of a virgin, and gives him 
his name; Micah, in vision, sees him coming forth 
from "Bethlehem Ephratah," to be ruler in Israel. 
We find him making his advent, as Jacob had fore- 
told, precisely at the time when the scepter was de- 
parting from Judah — just before the latter temple was 
destroyed, and at the end of Daniel's seventy weeks. 
But look now at the prophecies too strange to be 
believed before his coming, and what few believed, 
though plainly foretold, until by the events, they 
were explained and sealed. "He is despised and re- 
jected of men" — is "sold for thirty pieces of silver" — 
is the "Shepherd smitten, while the sheep are scat- 
tered." "They pierce his hands and feet" — "gape 
upon him with their mouth, and wag their heads " — 
"in his thirst they give him vinegar and gall to 
drink" — "they parted his garments, and cast lots for 
his vesture." And how exact the fulfillment, in every 
case. Verily he came in "by the door." And as he 
came, the song of the Holy Seers was waked afresh, 
to justify his claims, and the star foreseen by Balaam, 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



21 



"rising out of Jacob," guided the wise men of the 
east, to his manger cradle, angels announced his birth 
to the shepherds, and, in rapturous concert, heralded 
the object of his mission to earth, and, finally, "a 
voice from the excellent glory" proclaims on the 
banks of the Jordan, "This is my beloved Son, hear 
him !" 

But we propose to clear up all remaining doubt, 
and close the argument, by letting his works testify of 
him. Here he rested the argument, himself. John 
the Baptist, from the grated window of his prison, 
says to his desponding disciples, "Go to Jesus, and 
ask him, 6 Art thou the Messiah, or shall we look for 
another?'" They go, and, with deep solicitude, pro- 
pound the question; but Jesus prefers to let his 
works furnish John with an answer, and demonstrate 
his Messiahship. He says, "Go and show John again 
those things which ye do hear and see — the blind re- 
ceive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are 
cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, 
and, 6 above all/ the poor have the Gospel preached 
to them. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be 
offended in me!" This is enough. Here is demon- 
stration. There is no longer room for doubt. He 
is found performing all the works attributed to Mes- 
siah, by "holy men of old." 

Now we bring you "glad tidings of great joy." 



22 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



The Saviour whose birth is announced, is the true Mes- 
siah — the long looked-for Shiloh: Heaven proclaims 
him such, with a million tongues, earth responds to 
the acclaim, from the tongues of the dumb, from the 
"mouths of babes and sucklings," and from the rising 
dead, in loud Hosannahs to the Son of David, while 
Hell assents, with a trembling wail of woe. Heaven, 
Earth, and Hell, all unite in saying, "Truly, this is 
the Son of God." 

In sustaining our proposition, we proceed to show 
that— 

3. Jesus Christ is God-man — a competent Saviour. 

Unless this is true, there is no "good news" in the 
angel's announcement. Man has violated the law of 
that God "who can by no means clear the guilty." 
The penalty of the law must be met, before the sinner 
can be justified, and saved. Man, a mere man, can not 
redeem man. He is a creature, and consequently 
dependent on the Creator, and under personal obliga- 
tion to perpetual obedience, to insure his own justifi- 
cation. And hence could not offer himself as a sacrifice 
for others, or for himself. An angel, or a super-angelic 
being, who was yet a creature, would fall far short of 
the task. Justice — infinite justice, demanded human 
sufferings, as human nature had sinned; but, then 
these sufferings must, by some process, be rendered 
infinitely meritorious. A sacrifice of this kind, no mere 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



23 



creature — finite, and dependent, could make. An ade- 
quate atonement, an offering to Divine Justice, of 
human sufferings, rendered infinitely meritorious, can 
only be made by God-man. 

This is a point of vital importance, and the doc- 
trine is clearly set forth in the Holy Scriptures. Our 
argument upon the subject shall be brief, thrown out 
as a specimen of what might be adduced. The ques- 
tion of the incarnation of the Godhead, may be sat- 
isfactorily settled, simply by collating a passage in 
Isaiah, with one in Matthew. Isaiah says: "A virgin 
shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name 
Immanuel" Matthew makes an application of these 
words to Jesus, and says: "Now all this was done 
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the 
Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold a virgin shall 
be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they 
shall call his name Immanuel, which being inter- 
preted," (that is, which being translated), "is, God 
with us" Here we have the name given to Jesus, by 
God himself — and a name which is intended to convey 
an idea of his nature, else Heaven is responsible for 
bewildering, and leading earth astray, on a vital point. 
We know that an ancient custom prevailed, of making 
the name significant of the nature. For example : 
The first man was called Adam, that is, earthy man, 
the name indicating the origin. The first woman was 



24 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



called Eve, that is, life, because she was to be the 
mother of all the living. The son of Terah was called 
Abram ; that is, elevated father, because he was to be 
the father of the faithful, or the progenitor of Mes- 
siah. It was afterward changed to Abraham; that is, 
the father of a great multitude, because his progeny 
was to be like " the stars of heaven for multitude, and as 
the sands upon the sea shore, innumerable." Now, in 
accordance with this custom, Jesus Christ, the world's 
Redeemer, receives his name, Immanuel — and it must 
be significant of his nature. What does this name 
mean? Immanuel, is a Hebrew word; and the evangel- 
ist translates it into Greek, the language in which he 
was writing, thus: MeO' 'fj/iaiv 6 6eo^, which is translated 
into our language, thus: With us God, or "God with 
The name, then clearly indicates God in the 
flesh, or as in our proposition, God-man. Allow that 
Immanuel is the name of Jesus our Saviour, and that 
the name is intended to convey an idea of his nature ; 
then, whether you examine its meaning in Hebrew, 
Greek, or English, there is no resisting the conclu- 
sion, that in Jesus is to be found the Godhead, and 
the manhood, both, yet united in a strange myste- 
rious hypostasis, no more to be separated. And as 
such, he is a competent Saviour. 

St. John, in his Gospel, proclaims the same glori- 
ous truth: "In the beginning was the Word, and the 



THE FLYING ANGEL, 



25 



Word was with God, and the Word was God;" or, as 
in the order of the original, " God was the Word" 
And then he tells us that "The Word" that is, God, 
"was made flesh" — he vailed himself in a fleshly 
shrine, and appears in the appropriate garb of the 
world's Redeemer. "Forasmuch as the children are 
partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise 
took part of the same." And although he was man, 
yet " God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto 
himself." And now we preach him as the woman's 
conquering "Seed" — the "Shiloh" of Jacob — Job's 
living "Redeemer" — Abraham's " Jehovah- jireh " — 
the "I Am" of Moses in the burning bush — David's 
"Lord"— Isaiah's "Mighty God "—Jeremiah's "Je- 
hovah" — and Malachia's "Sun of Righteousness," ris- 
ing in all his luminous splendor, the light of the whole 
world. What no created arm, human or angelic, could 
do, to raise us from the ruins of the fall, he can do ; 
he meets the violated law, becomes our Mediator, 
spans the dreadful gulf which yawned 'twixt earth and 
heaven, and, by the union of his two natures, he unites 
two worlds together; and Earth becomes the wedded 
Bride of Heaven. And surely this is " glad tidings 
of great joy." 

4. The sufferings of Christ were vicarious* 
If J esus Christ, as some hold, were only " a great 
moral teacher" who only explained the law, illustrated 
3 



26 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



it by his own perfect obedience, and then only died, as 
dies the martyr, to seal the truth of his teachings with 
his blood, he has only left a rebellious and guilty world, 
in deeper despair, and more hopeless ruin. In his ex- 
ample, we may behold the beauty and purity of the 
law; but we are guilty — "sold under sin," and there 
is no way of escape from the penalty of the law, al- 
ready broken. Surely there is no good news in this 
for the sinner. But when we learn that Jesus is our 
atoning Priest, as well as our teaching Prophet, hope 
revives, and we sing in transport, 

U I 1 the chief of sinners ara r 
But Jesus died for me." 

If Christ died merely as a martyr, then, in view of 
the spotless innocency of his character, and the just- 
ness of his cause, as well as the certainty of future 
bliss before him, he surely ought to have met death 
with the heroism of Paul, and exclaimed, "I am now 
ready to be offered" — "to die is gain/' Why is it 
that he could not have exulted like the martyred 
beauty, who exclaimed when on her way to the stake, 
u Crowns are to be distributed to-day, and I am go- 
ing for my share ! " But instead of this, he exclaims, 
"My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" — 
and, " Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from 
me." He was "in an agony" — turns pale — sweats- — 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



27 



sweats blood — and " pours out strong cries and tears." 
How shall we account for all this agony and dismay? 
It is all explained, when we look at the vicarious char- 
acter of his sufferings — when we hear it said that 
" He bore our sins, in his own body on the tree" — 
" He died for us " — " The chastisement of our peace 
was upon him " — "He gave himself a ransom." "He 
tasted death for us" — For us, he drank the cup, with 
all its awful bitter dregs. For us, he met the fiery 
curse of the violated law, and our sins were laid upon 
his innocent soul. 

We no longer marvel at his agony and bloody sweat 
in the garden, and the awful heaving throes of his 
bosom, on the cross. It was said of old, that "the Seed 
of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, and he 
should bruise his heel ; " and this was the hour of the 
final struggle. The Seed of the woman exclaims, 
"Father, the hour is come!" — the hour — the moment 
toward which all previous time had been tending. He 
enters the conflict single-handed, and alone, " for of the 
people there was none with him." The legions of hell 
were all in motion, as if sure of victory. Rocks are 
rending, the earth shaking, graves opening, the ele- 
ments all in angry commotion, the sun is vailed in 
blackness, angels suspend the music of their harps, 
and all heaven seems to pause, while J esus bleeds and 
agonizes, all alone. But hush! He is now "travel- 



28 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



ing in the greatness of his strength," and ere he gives 
up the ghost, as he crushes the serpent's head be- 
neath his bruised heel, hear him, a dying, conquering 
hero, exclaim, in a voice that rises above the awful 
din of the raging elements, and breaking thunders, 
" It Is Finished ! " — the conflict is over — man is re- 
deemed — the world is bought. This shout of the 
dying victor of Calvary, peels through all the dark 
domain of death below, and through all the armies of 
heaven above ; and now from " Ten thousand times ten 
thousand, and thousands of thousands," breaks forth 
the glad shout of Redemption ! — " Worthy is the 
Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, 
and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and 
blessing." 

0, how precious ! What good news in this " Glori- 
ous Gospel of the blessed God ! " But rob us of our 
faith in the vicarious death of Jesus, and we will 
weep with Mary, and say, " You have taken away 
our Lord, and we know not where you have lain him." 
All our hopes of heaven, cluster around " the bleed- 
ing cross," and we rejoice to hold it up to a perish- 
ing world as its only hope, and preach it as "glad 
tidings of great joy." 

5. Christ died for all men. 

Allow that the death of Christ was partial, and the 
atonement limited, then our Gospel is glad tidings of 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



29 



great joy, only to the " precious elect." Those passed 
by, or unconditionally " reprobated," are left in hope- 
less despair, to an awful, inevitable fate. While notes 
of redemption, in all their sweetness, are falling upon 
the ear of the " elect" unfortunate " reprobates " can 
do nothing, but fold their arms in the sullen resigna- 
tion of despair, and say there is no good news for us 
in the announcement — a Saviour born — an atonement 
made — it is not for us, as fate has bound us over to 
the doom of the damned! 

But to the glory of matchless grace, we preach a 
far different gospel — a gospel which offers a full and 
free salvation to all. Isaiah describes it in prophecy, 
as " A feast for all people " — and with swelling heart 
and glowing lip, touched with " a live coal from the 
altar," he cries, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye 
to the waters." And " the voice of one crying in the 
wilderness," calls upon us to " Behold the Lamb of God 
that taketh away the sin of the world" — from which 
we may infer, that the merit of Christ's death, reaches 
to all who were lost by the fall. But the Author 
of salvation says himself, that, "God so loved the 
world" — the whole world — "that he gave his only be- 
gotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him might not 
perish, but have everlasting life." Again, "He, by 
the grace of God, tasted death for every man" and 
is, therefore, " a propitiation for our sins, and not for 



30 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT* 



ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" 
The gospel, in good faith, offers life to all — and all 
who will, have a gracious ability, to accept the offer — 
and hence it is "glad tidings of great joy to all people." 
But it is asked: " If any for whom Christ died are 
lost, will not Christ have spilled his blood in vain?" 
By no means. All the merit of his death was neces- 
sary to the redemption of one sinner ; and yet that 
merit being infinite, reaches to all. The rich merit 
of atoning blood reaches all our ruined race. And 
if, after all this, any are lost, Jesus tells why — "Ye 
will not come unto me, that ye might have life" — 
Pardon — Life — Heaven, is purchased for all. 

" For all, my Lord was crucified, 
For all, for all, my Saviour died." 

The rich fountains of Redemption being thus opened 
for all, we have in the Gospel, good news for all. 
And now, " the Spirit and the bride say, Come. 
And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him 
that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him 
take the water of life freely." And all this is said on 
the authority, and by the direction of "the Root and 
the Offspring of David, the bright and Morning Star/ 

"Its streams the whole creation reach, 
So plenteous is the store; 
Enough for all, enough for each, 
Enough for evermore." 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



31 



And now, from the lip of the flying angel, we take 
up the message, and publish " Glad tidings of great 
joy to all people." Such is the Gospel. 

But in the text it is called the u everlasting gospel" 
That is, it shall become universal and last forever. 
Not so with the former dispensations. The Patri- 
archal age, was as the rising of a few faint stars in 
the darkened heavens, preparing the way for the Law 
dispensation. And this was attended with still brighter 
luminaries, the luster of which was increased, from 
time to time, by the Prophets. And, finally, John the 
Baptist appeared as the rising of the morning star, 
proclaiming the near approach of day — while he 
preached that " the kingdom of heaven was at hand." 
And now the light of day begins to streak the east, 
and suddenly, up rolls the Sun of Righteousness, and 
pours his refulgent beams upon all around. This 
brings in "the latter-day glory" — the dispensation 
which is to become universal, and last forever — and 
hence it is called, " the everlasting gospel" The twink- 
ling stars of typical dispensations now hide them- 
selves forever — for the Sun is up. Although for a 
time he was eclipsed, and eclipsed in blood, yet it was 
soon over. Now, undimmed by clouds, or spheres, he 
rolls up in his golden chariot along his shining path- 
way, in mid-heaven, " A light to lighten the Gentiles, 
and the glory of his people Israel," and under his 



32 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



reign. Earth is repeating in rapture, the song taught 
her by Heaven — "Glory to God in the highest, and 
on earth peace, good-will toward men." 

II. The Evangelist. 

It is " an angel flying in the midst of heaven." 
An angel means a messenger, and, generally, a heav- 
enly messenger. But in this Book, the Minister of the 
Church, is called " the angel of the Church." Now, as 
the persons employed by God to preach the Gospel, 
are men, and not that order of heavenly beings called 
angels, and as the work of the angel spoken of in the 
text, is the same as that intrusted by Christ to his 
Ministers, in the "great commission," we conclude 
that in the text, we have a symbolical representation 
of the ministers of Christ, engaged in the great work 
of preaching the Gospel to every creature. The Bev- 
elator, as he lifted his eyes, and saw in holy vision an 
angel flitting across the heavens, recognized in it a 
symbol of an evangelical ministry, by which the gos- 
pel is to be published to all the w r orld. And now, 
while we attempt to sketch the character and work 
of such a ministry, let us keep this Apocalyptic sym- 
bol before our minds. 

1. The minister of the Gospel should be a partaker 
of its heavenly grace. 

Cold and heartless is the message of life itself, if 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



33 



it fall from the lips of the uncircumcised in heart. 
No tinsel of oratory, no flowers of rhetoric, no power 
of logic, can give unction — the holy unction to the 
sacred message, like the personal experience of vital 
piety in the heart. Paul presses, with great earnest- 
ness, this vital point, in his charge to Timothy — and is 
a living illustration of its importance in his own min- 
istry. No matter whose hands may have been laid 
upon his head, or what surplice, or gown may adorn 
his person, the minister must, experimentally, know the 
Gospel in its power unto salvation, to be able, effi- 
ciently, to describe the "wormwood and gall" of re- 
pentance, the power of faith, the passing from death 
unto life, and its blessed results, of "joy unspeakable, 
and full of glory." 

2. The minister should understand his message. 
He is to be the expounder of God's word — a teacher 
of the people, and hence it is well said, that "the 
Priests 5 lips should keep knowledge," and the people 
are to "seek the law at his mouth." His mind should 
explore the whole field of Christian ethics, and Bible 
theology. With clear conceptions of the plan of sal- 
vation, he is to instruct, enlighten, and lead the bleed- 
ing heart to Christ, the sinner's friend. He is not 
only to be "an angel," but "an angel of light" 

An education for the ministry, may all be compre- 
hended in this — to he educated in the Bible. And 



84 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



men, thus educated, are not always, and alone, to be 
found among college graduates, or the halls of the 
university; but many, very many, holy, flaming, flying 
heralds of the cross, deeply learned, and "mighty in 
the Scriptures," may be found, who never declined a 
Latin noun, conjugated a Greek verb, dug up a He- 
brew root, or calculated the distance to the sun. 
Still, learning is not to be despised, or even lightly 
esteemed. The minister should " earnestly covet the 
best gifts " — and " intermeddle with all knowledge." 
If practicable, let his learning be varied, and exten- 
sive, and he will find that he may bring it all into the 
service of the " glorious Gospel of the blessed God," 
and make it assist him in his great work. Though 
he should be " a man of one Book," yet his learning 
will contribute to his energies in studying that book, 
and greatly assist him in publishing the " everlasting 
Gospel" to a dark and bewildered world — to enlighten 
and bring it back to God. 

3. The minister must be called of God to the work. 
The order of God has always been, to specially call 
men, for every special work. Moses was called to be 
the leader and law-giver of Israel. Aaron was called 
to minister at the altar; and the Prophets were 
" moved by the Holy Ghost" to deliver messages to 
the world. And in like manner, Christ called the 
Evangelists, and Apostles, to their work. And now if 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



35 



the work of evangelizing is not yet over, we may 
fairly infer that men are still specially called, to this 
work : For, " How shall they preach, except they be 
sent?" God calls men, for his own work — he selects, 
and commits "a dispensation of the Gospel" to whom 
he will. And, 66 No man taketh this honor to himself, 
except he be called of God as was Aaron " — and when 
thus called, he is made to exclaim with Paul, "Woe 
is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel!" 

The great commission, clearly implies a succession 
of Gospel ministers, to preach, and administer the 
holy sacraments, until the world shall end — as it winds 
up with this promise, " Lo ! I am with you, even unto 
the end of the world" What is generally called " the 
Apostolic succession," we must regard as a conceited 
humbug. For a man to claim to be a minister of 
divine appointment, with the right to administer the 
ordinances, to the exclusion of all others, merely be- 
cause he can trace his ordination, in an unbroken 
chain of successive links, back to the chair of St. 
Peter, is ridiculous in the extreme. This chain must 
needs pass through the deep, dark, and subterranean 
cells of the Inquisition, and through the murderous 
debauch, and general corruption of a blotched and 
blurred prelacy — a prelacy, whose hands were drip- 
ping with innocent blood, when laid upon " careless 
skulls, that could not teach, and would not learn." 



36 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



Surely this could not confer a divine right, but might 
rather be regarded as a desecration of the sacred 
office. 

Yet there is a ministry of divine appointment — a 
ministry in the true Apostolic succession. The Apos- 
tles were called of God, and authorized by the Church, 
to go forth and preach. Hence, if we have a min- 
istry, called of God, authorized, and set apart, by the 
Church, to this same work, we have a ministry in the 
true succession — duly authorized to preach the Gospel, 
to administer the holy sacraments, and claim the ver- 
ity of the promise, " Lo ! I am with you alway, even 
unto the end of the world." Such are the men who 
lift the banner of the Cross, both in Christendom and 
Heathendom, while perishing thousands, flock around, 
and find the Gospel, as preached by them, to be "the 
power of God unto salvation." 

4. But this angel was flying. 

From this we infer that an evangelical ministry 
should be itinerant. When Christ sent out "the sev- 
enty" — "two by two," it was with special instructions 
that they should go from place to place, preaching. 
After his resurrection, the command to his Apostles 
was, " Go ye — go ye, into all the world" — "and as ye 
go, preach." Paul acted under the same instructions, 
and hence he says, " I must preach the Gospel in 
other cities also, for thereunto am I sent" Indeed, 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



37 



the first ministers of Christ, were all itinerant. And 
here, let us learn a lesson from the history of the 
Church. She prospered, and the word of God "grew 
mightily and prevailed," so long as her ministers 
were in motion. But when they settled down on rich 
livings, ceased their stirring, aggressive movements, 
and sought for ease, and worldly aggrandizement, they 
were soon lulled to sleep on the lap of a Delilah, and 
were shorn of their locks. And then the pall of 
darkness came over the Church ; in her bewilderment 
and weakness, she was married to the state, and the 
"dark ages" ensued. And now to preserve an evan- 
gelical Church, God gave her the wings of a great 
eagle, and she fled into the wilderness, where he nour- 
ished and kept her, while all around, reigned one long 
and starless night. But when Luther, the leader of 
the Reformation, and his coadjutors, arose, and pro- 
claimed the break of day to slumbering millions, lo! 
the Church comes up "out of the wilderness, leaning 
upon her Beloved." But the great instrumentality 
in this movement, was, an itinerant ministry. The 
great leaders in the Reformation, were like angels of 
light, flying all over the land : " And so mightily grew 
the word of God, and prevailed." 

The Reformation continued to spread, until the min- 
istry again settled down upon their rich livings, and 
ceased their labors, as flying evangelists. A fearful 



38 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



stagnation in piety then followed. Infidelity was 
born, and threatened to overrun the land. Vice, of 
almost every kind, was to be found in high places; 
in the threshold of the sanctuary, itself, if not at the 
very altars of the Church. At this fearful crisis, an- 
other Reformation is born. The itinerating Wesleys, 
from Oxford, announce to the world that "God has 
thrust us out to raise up a holy people." And " not 
disobedient to the heavenly vision," they go forth, with 
the heroism, and holy daring of Paul — among the rich, 
and the poor — in churches, and on the green — in pits, 
and founderies — preaching the " everlasting Gospel" 
All England is roused from her slumber ! Churches, 
long closed, are thrown open for religious service — 
infidelity beats a retreat, and acknowledges herself 
foiled — and Zion awakes, shakes herself from the dust, 
and puts on her beautiful garments. All Europe 
stood gazing upward, and millions exclaimed, "We 
see an angel flying in the midst of heaven, preaching 
the everlasting Gospel." This was a mighty move- 
ment. And ever since, God has been demonstrating 
to the Churches, the essential importance, and great 
efficiency of an itinerant ministry— & ministry that 
goes — an angel that flies, onward, and still onward, 
to make known " the savor of this knowledge, in every 
place." 

The ambassador for God, has no time, and should 



THE PLYING ANGEL. 



39 



not feel himself at liberty, to engage in secular pur- 
suits. He is " a man of one work" intrusted with an 
all-important embassy, and must " give himself wholly 
to the ministry." He must be a student of the Bible, 
instead of the ledger; and seek "the lost sheep of the 
house of Israel," rather than calculate per centage, 
or the chances for speculations in stocks. His wings 
must not be incumbered with the personal care, and 
oversight of store-houses, or farms; but he should 
only be careful, to "do the work of an evangelist- 
make full proof of his ministry." He only descends 
from his high and holy vocation, whenever he goes 
to " serving tables." 

The Church, in her turn, should say to the minis- 
ter, in a substantial way, "your bread shall be given, 
and your water shall be sure" — we will serve the 
tables — while you go — study — -fly — preach — pray — and 
serve "the flock of God which he has purchased with 
his own blood." 

5. This angel was flying "in the midst of heaven" 
From this we infer, that ministers should not be ir- 
responsible vagrants, nor self-willed, eccentric, "wan- 
dering stars" — but should move in a regular orbit— in 
the Church — under her direction, and responsible to 
her tribunals. And then, as they go, they can say to 
the wandering, houseless, homeless, sons of earth, 
"give your wanderings o'er," and come, find a home, 



40 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



in the Church. And as they come, he initiates them 
by baptism, and administers to them the holy com- 
munion. They are the standard-bearers of the " sac- 
ramental host/' and as such "fly in the midst of 

heaven" 

Such is the ministry. And we know not, but that 
in this Apocalyptic symbol, John saw the Wesleys, 
flying all over England, and Asbury crossing the At- 
lantic, and here, with his cotemporaries, and his suc- 
cessors, flying all abroad, preaching the "everlasting 
Gospel," in these far-off ends of the earth, and gath- 
ering millions to the fold of Christ, 

III. The Extent of the Angel's Mission. 

According to the text, the Gospel is to be preached 
"unto them that dwell upon the earth, and to every 
nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." This 
angel, then, had "the world for his parish." And 
the Great Master says, "The field is the world" — 
and, in another place, "this Gospel of the kingdom 
shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto 
all nations." And the commission under which the 
ministry act, reads "Go ye into all the world, and 
preach my Gospel to every creature." Such, then, 
is the extent of the angel's mission. 

Under the old dispensation, the order was, for the 
world to come to the Church — the people to the 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



41 



Priests. But under the new dispensation, this order 
is reversed, and the Church is now commanded to go 
to the world — the minister to the people — to all the 
people — with the terms of reconciliation. This is a 
great work. But by the instrumentality employed — 
" an angel flying in the midst of heaven " — it can be 
accomplished. True, it has been delayed, by the par- 
simony and indolence of the Church. For more than 
eighteen hundred years, God has been thundering in 
our ears, from the highest heavens, " Go preach my 
Gospel to every creature !" and yet, even to this day, 
we are not more than half waked from our slumbers. 
Many who are now 66 sitting in the region of the 
valley and shadow of death," might long since "have 
seen a great light," had we but done our duty. And 
the blood of our murdered heathen brethren, is crying 
from the ground against us. We are verily guilty ! 

But although the work has been somewhat delayed, 
still it is going on, and will ultimately be accom- 
plished. It must be so. This day, throughout all 
Christendom, from the lips of prattling childhood, and 
from hoary age — yea, from a million hearts, warm 
with the love of Jesus, glowing with the patriotism 
of heaven, and strong in faith, the prayer taught by 
the world's Redeemer, is going up into the ear of a 
listening heaven — " Thy kingdom come ! " — " Thy 
kingdom cornel" This prayer must be answered. 
4 



42 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



Then, the spirit of prophecy is pealing, through the 
ranks of God's conquering host, declaring that "His 
dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the rivers 
to the ends of the earth. " An interceding Jesus on 
the Mediatorial throne is asking, that he may receive 
" the heathen for an inheritance, and the uttermost 
parts of the earth for a possession." And Jehovah 
swears by himself that " the whole earth shall be 
filled with his glory." 

Let us look at this subject a little more in detail, 
that our faith may be strengthened, our hearts warmed, 
and our arms nerved for the work, of hastening the 
day of Messiah's universal reign. 

1. Take a view of the heathen world. The orbs 
of her pagan glory have all set. The stars which 
once, in such bright constellations, flamed in her 
firmament, have all gone down to rise no more, until 
they rise, in fresh undying radiance, upon the in- 
stitutions of a Gospel Church. The pall of mid- 
night darkness is settling down over the wide pagan 
land; while all around, Christianity is gathering the 
mind, the knowledge, the intellect, and the enterprise, 
of the world. She now teaches the world science, 
as well as religion. As for the heathen world, it 
has done nothing for ages — Mind is stagnant. Her 
Platos, and Ciceros, are nowhere to be found — while 
our schools, and that miracle-worker of the modern 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



43 



Church — the Press — upheave the absurdities of their 
literature ; so that all the fabrics of their supersti- 
tion must fall, and the glories of Messiah's kingdom 
take their place. 

We occupy vantage ground. When Paul preached 
to the most intelligent pagans from the steps of the 
Areopagus, it was amidst the splendid monuments of 
Grecian prowess and science — amidst their temples — 
their altars — and their statues — beneath the shade of 
Nero's palace, in view of the Coliseum, crowded with 
Roman citizens, gloating over the death of his coadju- 
tors — in a colossal empire, which darkened with its 
shadow, not only the whole civilized, but a vast portion 
of the barbarian, world. But now, in our times, the 
Church can command the learning of the world, and 
makes science her servitor. She now has the advantage 
of the press, the mariner's compass, and the commerce 
of nations. Thank God, we have come out of the 
caves and forests where the ancients were hunted — 
and the mightiest governments of earth now are Chris- 
tian. The progress of free institutions, political con- 
vulsions, and wide-spread revolutions, which are now 
astonishing the world, and so rapidly giving freedom 
to our race, are all as so many agencies to rear up 
a highway, broad and free, over which the car of life 
may roll onward to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and 
people — and banish paganism from the world. 



44 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT* 



2. Mohammedanism, This delusion once swept 
like a whirlwind of fire over western Asia, over Af- 
rica, and Spain; and for ages, seemed to present a 
most formidable obstacle to the advancement of Chris- 
tianity. Only a few centuries ago, it shook the might- 
iest thrones in Europe. But now its youth is gone, 
and the signs of decrepid age, mark all its movements. 
Its empire is frittering away, and the proud son of 
Othman is forced to crouch, a royal beggar for the 
political existence of his people. 

Other nations are rapidly rising in intelligence, 
while Mohammedanism is sinking into the grossest 
ignorance. Its religion and customs, are all after the 
pattern of the days of darkness. Change she can 
not. And yet if she clings to her ecclesiastical pol- 
ity, her political damnation is inevitable : — and if she 
breaks away from these trammels, then, her religion 
must founder and go down forever. The allied pow- 
ers of Europe may retard, but can not stop the im- 
pending bolt. The voice of Providence plainly de- 
clares, that the decree has gone forth against this once 
terrible power — and the handwriting is on the wall. 
And when once the stone, cut out of the mountains 
without hands, shall strike this dread colossus, the 
death-knell of her superstition will be sounded over 
the earth, her religion will tumble into ruins ; and 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



45 



then the flying angel, sent forth by a missionary 
Church, with golden trumpet, shall peel forth to her 
bleeding millions, the life-giving sounds of the ever- 
lasting Gospel. And then will come the jubilee of 
Christianity, over prostrate Islamism. 

3. The Papacy was once regarded as a formidable 
obstacle in the way of Gospel triumph. But it is fast 
waning. The Gospel, whose power once shook down 
so many pillars of this vast structure, still lives, a 
Gospel of Power, to carry on the work. Moral causes 
may sometimes work slowly, but they work surely, 
until they reach the crisis of sudden development. 
For ages past, the spiritual despotism of Rome, has 
been gradually losing its hold on the consciences of 
men. Government after government has broken its 
political power, until the man on the Tiber, has be- 
come an enthroned cipher, amidst the gigantic powers 
of Europe. This religion clings to the thrones of 
despotism, and courts their darkness ; it must, there- 
fore, inevitably fall before the onward march of free 
institutions, and Gospel light. It can make no ad- 
vance where liberty, science, and the Bible are the 
common property of the people — and must go down, 
wherever the streaming light, of an unobstructed Gos- 
pel sun, shines in every habitation. Let us see to it, 
then, that our whole land is a Goshen, with light in 



46 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



all our dwellings. Let us kindle fires on every hill- 
top, and illumine every valley, and thus hasten the 
day of the world's conversion to God. 

4. Infidelity, Since the Reformation, Infidelity has 
fiercely struggled to sweep Christianity from the 
earth. For a time, Heaven suffered minds of a high 
order to waste their energies on this negation of truth. 
In the misty depths of metaphysics, it has labored 
with the energy of a Hume, to upheave the founda- 
tions of human belief. In the fields of literature, it 
has breathed its poison on the page of history. On 
the rostrum of the Statesman, and in the dress of 
liberty, it has used the force of eloquence, to subvert 
the truths of Christian freedom. It has even gone 
down into the very stys of human corruption, and 
there, by ribaldry and falsehood, sought to shroud 
this world of ours, in all the gloom of hideous night. 

For awhile these efforts seemed to threaten the 
ruin of the Christian Church — while in reality, they 
only roused her to vigorous action — to put on her 
beautiful garments, and to go forth to holy war. 
When fully roused, the fields of sacred history and 
science were trodden in every part, by men of giant 
minds, boundless learning, and profound judgment. 
They entered the domain of the infidel ; and history 
was met by history, philosophy by philosophy, and 
research by still deeper research. And at every 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



47 



point, the arms of infidelity were turned against itself, 
while Christianity stood impregnable to the assaults 
of irreligion. Suddenly, in France, the mask fell, and 
Infidelity stood forth in all its native ugliness before 
the world. But we will not lift the vail from this 
scene of raging passion, wild uproar, legalized hate, 
and hellish butchery. The memory of that hour fills 
the soul with horror, and covers the infidel with pale- 
ness ! From this time forth, Infidelity is in ruins. 
We will only pause to inquire, Where now are the 
buzzing swarms of philosophers, wits, poets, histo- 
rians, statesmen, and crowned heads, who, but a little 
over a half century ago, licked the dust, trodden by 
the debauched goddess of Infidelity? And echo an- 
swers, Where? Their songs of triumph have ceased, 
their loud huzzas are hushed. Infidelity is herself 
abashed. But, thank God the Church has not been 
ingulfed in the swellings of Atheism, but high on the 
hill of Zion, 

" She stands as she ever hath stood, 
And brightly her Builder displays, 
And flames with the glory of God." 

Infidelity will, doubtless, still resist the progress of 
the Gospel. Even now it seems to be summoning all 
its energies, for another desperate struggle. But the 
Church now fights an oft-conquered foe, and the tro- 



48 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



phies of victory are all around her. She has reached 
a position which commands the entire field; and most 
vigorously will she grapple with the enemies of the 
cross, in this last conflict, which in its termination will 
bring an angel from heaven, " having the key of the 
bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand," to bind 
forever the prince of darkness, and usher in the splen- 
dors of the millennial day. 

With this survey of the field, and the extent of the 
angel's mission, our faith grows strong, and our arm 
is nerved for the work before us. We live in an 
eventful day — such as our fathers never saw. The 
fields for effort are opening all around us, and we 
can no longer say, "it is four months, and then Com- 
eth harvest;" but "lo! the fields are already white 
to the harvest," and the cry is coming up in the ear 
of the Church, from almost every point of the com- 
pass, " Come over and help us." "The signs of the 
times" are ominous, and should stir the slumbering 
energies of our Zion, open the fountains of her benev- 
olence, and keep them open, until the men and means 
are furnished, for carrying the Gospel to all the 
world. The distinguished honor of saving the nations 
by the Gospel, is held up before the American Zion. 
And if she is true to herself, and her God, she may 
claim the crown due to a missionary Church. And 
when the day of final triumph shall come, she may be 



THE FLYING ANGEL. 



49 



found standing in front of God's conquering host, to 
raise the first shout over a converted world. 

How encouraging the view. From our present 
stand-point, w^e behold the advancing light of the 
Gospel, like an ever-enlarging circle. Onward, and 
still onward the angel is flying, while the song of re- 
demption breathed forth by the angels on the plains 
of Bethlehem, is swelling up in grand chorus, from 
every altar and temple, from every cottage and pal- 
ace, from every hill and vale, through all the lines of 
latitude and longitude — " Glory to God in the high- 
est!" The voice of ten thousand new-born sons of 
Zion, falls upon our ears, from the isles of the Pacific, 
and from the shores of India — from the sands of 
Ethiopia, and the mountains of Tartary — from " Green- 
land's icy mountains," and from the heart, and com- 
mercial metropolis, of China, in loud acclaim, shout- 
ing " Glory to God in the highest." And soon, very 
soon, every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, of this 
polyglotic earth, shall rise up with a voice, like the 
sound of many waters, to fill out the millennial chant, 
exclaiming, in concert with Heaven, " Glory to God 

IN THE HIGHEST!" 

5 



50 



DISCOURSES 



FROM THE PULPIT. 



DISCOURSE II. 

PEACE — STABILITY — A H D PROSPERITY 
OF THE CHURCH. 

" Look vpon Zion, the city of our solemnities >' thine eyes shall 
see Jerusalem a quiet habitation^ a tabernacle that shall not be 
taken down ; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed) 
neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. 

u But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad 
rivers and streams ; wherein shall go no galley with oars 1 neither 
shall gallant ship pass thereby." — Isaiah xxiii: 20, 21. 

This text is highly figurative. And, in order to 
its proper appreciation, the mind must break away 
from the monotonous rounds of ordinary thought, rise 
to loftier mounts of vision, and suffer itself to be 
wrapped in evangelical and spiritual contemplation. 
It is only in a very limited sense, that these words can 
be said to be true in an application to the defeat of 
the Assyrian army, and the temporary peace of Jeru- 
salem ; but in the broadest, and fullest sense, they are 
true of the Christian Church. 

The Temple was built upon an eminence, which was 
called Zion; and such was the importance, which the 



PEACE AXD PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH. 51 



Jews attached to tlieir Temple, that the whole city of 
Jerusalem was called by the name of the eminence 
upon which it was built — Zion. Hence Zion and 
Jerusalem, are convertible terms, frequently meaning 
the same thing: and this is the case in the text. 
Zion was God's chosen city — chosen to be the seat, 
and center of his worship, under the old dispensation. 
It was there the Jews celebrated, and attended to all 
their religious rites — and observed all their " solemni- 
ties" Hence, the expression, " Look upon Zion, the 
city of our solemnities." And in this regard, it was, 
eminently, a type of the Christian Church — the spir- 
itual Zion — which was to extend to " the farthest 
verge of the green earth." The Church is the center 
of worship, the home of the ministry, the repository 
of the ordinances, and the word of life, and the dis- 
penser of the benefits of the Gospel, to all the world — 
God's chosen city, "the light of the world." 

We shall now proceed to notice, in regular order, 
the Peace — the Stability — and the Prosperity of the 
Church. 

I. The Peace of the Church. 

" Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem, a quiet habita- 
tion" The natural heart of man, is not at rest — and 
yet rest is the great object of its search. A wander- 
ing world of sinners, in their own way, are seeking for 



52 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT* 



" a quiet habitation ; " while God's voice is continually 
proclaiming, in unmistaken thunder tones, u There is 
no peace to the wicked !" In the world, all is com- 
motion, turbulence, strife, and war ; and yet men seek 
for happiness— the heart pants for a u quiet habita- 
tion," a retreat from aching anxiety and carking 
care. 

Happiness is not to be found in any goal, or 
" city," to which pleasure, wealth, or fame can invite 
their votaries. Let the history of the past, written, 
as it may be, on the shrines, or in the decorated sa- 
loons of high-wrought pleasure, in the gilded palaces 
of wealth, or on the topmost hights " where fame's 
proud temple shines afar" — written, as it often is, in 
tears and blood, and by deep-drawn sighs from aching 
hearts — let this testify, and our position will be abund- 
antly sustained. And it is still farther confirmed by 
our own observation and experience. 

This desired moral rest is to be found in no device 
of man, in no earth-built city— but alone in "the city 
of our solemnities." 

The religious system of the Deist, can never give 
rest to the conscience — or ease the aching heart. 
The Deistieal Infidel, has a one-articled Creed — Tie be- 
lieves, as he says, in one God — no more. Admitting 
the existence of a God in any thing like an intelli- 
gible sense, he must claim for him the same character 



PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH. 53 



proclaimed to Moses; at least so far as to hold that 
he is a God of justice-, and will u by no means clear the 
guilty" He ridicules the doctrine of sacrifice, and 
pardon ; refuses to extend his Creed, so as to embrace 
a Redeemer, and repeats, " God is just, and will by 
no means clear the guilty." For all offenders, then, 
damnation is inevitable, as there is no sacrifice — no 
pardon. And as he can not, and will not claim to be 
immaculate — -but must admit that in some sense, and 
to a certain extent, at least, he is guilty, all his hopes 
of a "quiet habitation" in the city, or creed of deism, 
are crushed, and he sees that for him there remains 
nothing, "but a certain fearful looking for of judg- 
ment and fiery indignation," which must destroy the 
guilty. And this consideration almost invariably 
drives all such, into the deeper and darker labyrinths 
of Atheism— to act the part of David's fool, and say, 
" There is no God." 

But Atheism fails to bring the heart — the troubled 
heart, and conscience, into the long desired haven. 
There is no rest here. The world, says the Atheist, 
"came by chance:" and if so, it is just as likely to 
"go by chance" and perish in an hour. He has no 
security for himself or the world, or existence itself, 
in the future — not even for a single moment. All, 
all is governed by blind, senseless fatality. Still rest- 
less and uneasy, with no firm foundation beneath his 



54 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



feet, on he is driven, from one absurdity to another, 
oppressed with guilt and fearful forebodings of the 
future, he seeks relief with the Sadducee, and modern 
materialist, and openly denies the existence of angels 
and spirits, the immortality of the soul, and all future 
existence — and reaches his climax, by hailing death as 
an eternal sleep ! This produces in his spirit, a dark 
shade of melancholy; he becomes misanthropic, sinks 
into a kind of sullen despair, and the chances are, that 
he will end his career a maniac, or a suicide. Such 
are the fearful results of Infidelity. 

Is it any better with the orthodox sinner, while he 
remains impenitent? We shall judge him out of his 
own mouth. He believes the Bible true, and reads, 
" God is angry with the wicked every day/' He is 
wicked ; therefore, God is angry with him, every day — 
and every day he lives under the frown of an angry 
God. Again he reads in the Bible, which he believes, 
" The wicked shall be turned into hell." He is 
wicked; therefore, he must be turned into hell — and 
hence, every moment he is exposed to a burning 
lake — and "all his life, through fear of death, he is 
subject to bondage" — and his mind is as restless 
as the heaving, tossing, turbulent ocean, " casting up 
mire and dirt." So true is it, that " There is no 
peace to the wicked." 

But all peace is found in the " City of our solemni- 



PEACE AXD PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH. 55 



ties." We believe in God, that he is just, and that 
he can "by no means clear the guilty/' But when 
we feel our guilt, and long for deliverance "from the 
body of sin and death/' on the authority of Revela- 
tion, our Creed enlarges, and lo ! our " God is in 
Christ, reconciling the world unto himself" — and that 
he can be "just, and vet the justifier of him who be- 
lieveth in Jesus." We believe not only in God, but 
also in Jesus Christ our Lord. Our faith embraces 
the doctrine of sacrifice, and pardon — and we claim 
the pardon, through the sacrifice — and by faith we 
make it ours. And while thus contemplating our sac- 
rifice, upon whom all our sins were laid, in penitence 
and faith, our guilt is all removed, we are washed in 
atoning blood, and are made new creatures in Christ 
Jesus — "Being justified by faith we have peace with 
God, through our Lord Jesus Christ" All peace is 
found in thus believing. We thus find the Zion of 
our God — "the city of our solemnities" — a quiet hah- 
itation, where all is Peace. This is Christ's legacy to 
his Church: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I 
give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto 
you: Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be 
afraid." Peradventure, " In the world you may have 
tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome 
the world, anc? in me you shall have Peace" 

Indeed, this is the grand end of the gospel — to 



56 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



produce peace: Hear it from angel lips — "Peace on 
earth "—and whenever, or wherever, the gospel is pro- 
claimed, such are its blessed fruits — Peace, and a quiet 
habitation. 

It has been alleged, that the Christian Church has 
been the cause of more bloodshed, war, and martyr- 
dom, than all other causes combined. But how gross 
the slander ! how stupidly false the allegation ! The 
Church, in all ages, has been preaching, "Thou shalt 
not kill," — and that "if a man smite thee on one 
cheek, turn to him the other also," — with similar senti- 
ments. Her great and grand designs are not hidden: 
she has announced her purpose to turn swords into 
plowshares, and spears into pruning -hooks, and that 
under her reign, " the nations shall learn war no 
more." Hideous crimes have been perpetrated in 
her name, for which she is in no way responsible. 
But the pure evangelical Church, is "a quiet habita- 
tion." This day "Look upon Zion." She stands in 
a world of turbulence, w r ar, and bloodshed, w T here 
angry waves of commotion are rolling all around, but 
she remains a quiet home, a peaceful retreat from the 
agitations and storms without: 

"Like some tall cliff that lifts its awful form, 
Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm; 
Though clouds and tempests, round its sides are spread, 
Eternal sunshine settles on its head." 



PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH. 57 



Thus we have looked upon Zion, the city of our 
solemnities, and our eyes see Jerusalem to be a quiet 
habitation. 

II. The Stability of the Church. 

" A tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one 
of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall 
any of the cords thereof be broken" 

The " tabernacle" as used by ancient Israel, before 
the building of the temple, was for temporary pur- 
poses. True, it was covered with the " pillar of cloud 
by day, and a pillar of fire by night" — still it was 
temporary, and movable, and always taken down for 
the march. It was a fit representation of the former 
dispensations, which were only intended for temporary 
duration — neither intended to become universal, or to 
last forever. Whereas, Christianity is to be everlast- 
ing, and immutable. John's flying angel, as he flit 
across the heavens, had the " everlasting gospel to 
preach" — so that our city is "not a tabernacle to be 
taken down;" but is to stand forever — and so invul- 
nerable is she, that her stakes can not be removed, nor 
her cords broken. 

Christianity is immutable. She admits of no im- 
provements, or emendations, for, she is already per- 
fect. The Bible is her Magna Charta. And only 
mark, how strangely it has been preserved unal- 



58 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



tered, and unalterable, even amidst the wreck of 
thrones and empires, the ravages of revolutions, and 
wars, and through blood and fire. After all the hell- 
ish hate, and scorching scrutiny of its enemies, it re- 
mains the same. 

It has been said, and even published, in one of the 
ephemeral periodicals of Infidelity, that after all, the 
Bible is not a book of such great antiquity, but that 
it was manufactured by the priests, during the "dark 
ages." What stupidity and ignorance, in those who 
are wont to sneer at Christianity! Every tyro in his- 
tory, can detect this falsehood. He knows that Alex- 
ander the Great, had a great desire to encourage 
learning, among the Jews of Alexandria, and for this 
purpose, he desired that they should have the Holy 
Scriptures in the Greek language. And accordingly, 
they were translated from the Hebrew, into the Greek, 
under one of the Ptolemys, at least two hundred and 
eighty-seven years before the birth of Christ — and 
hence the Septuagint version of the Old Testament. 
Now, all this could not have been done, had not this 
book, of acknowledged antiquity, and merit, been in 
existence. The Bible, then, is a book of all the an- 
tiquity it claims. And we have abundant reason for 
believing in its unaltered purity. For example, the 
Pentateuch was always well guarded, and kept from 
even verbal alterations, by the mutual jealousies ex- 



PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH. 59 



isting between the Jews, and the Samaritans — neither 
allowing the other to change a word, or letter, in the 
Hebrew text. And we may prove the verbal authen- 
ticity of the Isew Testament, by the numerous quota- 
tions made from it, by the Greek and Latin fathers — 
amounting to almost a full, and literal transcript of 
the whole book. But upon this topic w T e will not en- 
large. It is only hinted at, that you may know that 
we have faith in the unaltered purity of the sacred 
text. 

Only a few years ago, it was said by the Infidel, 
that Geology would prove a mighty battery, with which 
the citadel of Christianity would be stormed. That 
Geology would falsify the Mosaic account of the crea- 
tion, and the deluge, and thus sap the foundation of 
Revelation. But what are the facts ? Geology has 
progressed, and tried her deepest research. She has 
gone down into the bowels of the earth, examining 
strata after strata, formation after formation, and fos- 
sil after fossil. But after all her subterranean toil, 
she returns; and as she comes, every strata she 
passes, and every formation, and every fossil, all, all 
seem to be invested with tongues, and voices, and 
proclaim in his ear, that Moses knew more about the 
world's creation, thousands of years ago, than all 
Geologists can teach, or tell, unaided by Revelation. 
Such is the true, " Testimony of the Rocks." Thus 



60 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT 



Geology comes forth, a living witness, to confirm the 
truth of the Mosaic history. 

At one time we were told, in the spirit of bravado, 
that Chinese literature, in a very short time, would 
become a swift witness against our Scriptures. That 
the researches going on in China, would bring to light 
ancient records, dating thousands of years anterior to 
Moses, or even to the creation itself, according to his 
account. Again we ask, what are the facts ? The 
literature and libraries of China have been explored, 
but all the research, in that direction, has only resulted 
in throwing wide the gates of the celestial empire, to 
the missionary of the Cross, and for the introduction 
and spread of the Christian Scriptures, among her 
dark and benighted millions. . 

Thus has Infidelity been foiled at every turn, and 
nothing can change our charter, or unsettle its founda- 
tions. Unlike all other works, no principle in the 
Bible, or in Christian ethics, has ever been subverted, 
or changed, by philosophical or moral discoveries. 
Can as much be said for Infidelity, and the deifiers 
of Nature, in their serpentine works? No. But 
they are changing — perpetually changing, revising and 
amending their systems. So much so, that the infi- 
delity of yesterday, is repudiated by the infidels of 
to-day, and that of to-day, will be repudiated by the 
infidels of to-morrow — so rapid, and frequent are the 



PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH. 61 



tergiversations, and changes, in their conglomerated 
system of darkness and death. 

But here is one unchanged, and unchanging Booh 
of God, Heaven's ever-burning lamp, to light the 
world. Other books in science, history, and morals, 
have been revised, improved, and undergone various 
alterations. But we have no " enlarged and improved 
edition" of the Bible, no amended Charter of the 
Church — but here are the same doctrines, in all their 
symmetry and grandeur — the same holy precepts, and 
heavenly promises, and here they will remain forever. 

It can not be destroyed. True, the Bible has been 
burned, — but while its enemies have been standing 
round the bonfire, with fiendish joy, Phoenix-like^ it 
has come up from its own ashes, in all its flashing 
light, and fadeless splendor, unhurt by the flames. 
Its enemies have sought to drown it, by casting it 
into the depths of the ocean ; but God, its author, 
has let down the grappling-hooks of high heaven, and 
brought it up from the depths, all dripping and glit- 
tering with ocean's tears, and sent it forth, on its 
errand of love, to all the world. 

It can not be confined. This, too, has often been 
tried ; but bolts and bars give way before its magic 
touch. For a time, it lay chained in the University 
of Erfurth, yet it was only that it might unlock, and 
enlighten the mind and heart, of the man who was to 



62 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



be the great Apostle of the Reformation. And now, 
when this was accomplished, behold that German 
Monk, merging from his cell, with Bible in hand, to 
proclaim the break of day to earth, and terminate the 
reign of darkness. See now how a liberated Bible 
travels, flashes, radiates, and shines through the sur- 
rounding gloom — while Luther, Melancthon, and Eras- 
mus, pour forth a flood of evangelical light, from the 
Carpathian mountains, to the pillars of Hercules — 
from the golden Tiber, to the waters of Vistula — from 
the Warsaw, to the sides of the Baltic — and from 
Germany, to the ends of the earth. 

Such is the 3Iagna Charta of the Church. Though 
its enemies have sought by direct attack, and covered 
design, to corrupt, mutilate, or destroy it, still it lives 
on, undimmed by the lapse of ages, a sun of immortal 
splendor, high in mid-heaven, to give light to the na- 
tions, and render luminous, the pathway of earth's 
weary wanderers, in search of "the better land" — a 
star to dance on the coffin's lid — a flaming torch, 
lighting our way through the cypress shades of death, 
and pouring its gleaming radiance on the broad bosom 
of eternity, to conduct us through the gates into the 
heavenly city, the home of angels, and of God. 

"Not one of the stakes" — that is, not one of 
the principles of the covenant — " shall ever be re- 
moved" — "neither shall any of the cords" — that is, 



PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH. 63 



the ordinances of the Christian Church — "be broken." 
Had you been at Jerusalem, eighteen hundred years 
ago, and passed from the crowded streets, and throng- 
ing multitudes, to that secluded upper room, where 
Christ instituted the sacrament; what would have 
been your conclusions, after witnessing the scene ? 
The lighted taper burns dimly, and a little group are 
ranged around the table, looking sad. Jesus takes 
the bread — blesses and breaks — and says, "Take, eat: 
this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in 
remembrance of me." And then taking the cup, and 
giving thanks, he says, "Drink ye all of it, for this 
is my blood of the new testament : this do ye, as oft 
as ye drink it, in remembrance of me" — and thus 
show forth your Lord's death till he comes again. 
Now as you gaze upon the scene, you are told that 
to-morrow, the Master will be crucified, and these, his 
disciples, will be scattered like sheep without a shep- 
herd, will be hated of all men for the Master's sake, 
and finally die as martyrs. You pass from this scene, 
and again mingle with the multitude; and I ask you, 
how long do you suppose the supper, just instituted 
in that upper room, will be commemorated. Your 
reply would be, the very memory of it will perish 
from the earth, with the crucifixion of Jesus, on the 
morrow — and you would consider its perpetuation, for 
long ages and centuries, or until the end of time, as 



64 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



preposterous and impossible. But, Hallelujah to 
God — no stake has been removed — no cord broken. 
In the onward sweep of ages, thrones have crumbled, 
empires have gone into decay — governments have 
changed, and Time has written Change, on all things 
below the sun ; yet there always has been, and still 
is a Holy Sacrament in the Church. The " Lord's 
Supper " is still celebrated in remembrance of him, 
and so it shall continue, until he comes again. This 
cord shall never be broken. 

" Millions of souls, in glory now, 
Were fed and feasted here; 
And millions more, still on the way, 
Around the board appear." 

Now we ask, what has given this stability to the 
Christian Church? Solve the problem, who can? It 
can not be done, without admitting that Christianity 
is divine — its author, God. Yes the Immortal God, 
who " wheels his throne amidst the rolling worlds," is 
her Head, and her defense. And hence, firmer than 
Gibraltar's rock, against which the waves of old ocean 
have been rolling and dashing for ages, only to retire 
in their angry foam, the Church stands, invulnerable 
to all attacks. " The heathen rage, the people imag- 
ine a vain thing — the kings of the earth set themselves, 
and the rulers take counsel together" against her; 
"but he that sitteth in the heavens," her Guardian, 



PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH. 65 

and her Head, " laughs, and holds them in derision." 
In the south-western extremity of Great Britain, on 
an isolated rock in the ocean, several miles from the 
shore, there stands, what is called the "Eddystone 
Light-house" — a beacon-light for the mariner. Vvlien 
it was proposed, more than a hundred years ago, to 
erect this light-house, the proposition was treated with 
scorn, and it was considered an impracticable enter- 
prise, originating with the fanatical architect. But at 
last, after much hesitancy, and doubt, the work was 
commenced. Slowly but steadily it progressed, amidst 
the " jeers and taunts" of its enemies, who were pre- 
dicting that both the work, and the workmen, would 
all be swept away, long before its completion. But 
in three years from the time of its commencement, it 
w r as finished; and its light was seen streaming out 
over the wild waste of w x aters, to admonish the mari- 
ner, of his near approach to the fatal spot, where so 
many noble vessels had been wrecked, and many a 
stalwart seaman had gone down into a watery grave. 
But, said the enemies of the enterprise, w r ait, until we 
have such a storm as that of 1703, and then you will 
see what will become of your Light-house. Well, it 
so happened, that in 1762, there was such a storm, 
only more violent and destructive. All night it raged 
with fearful fury — villages and towns were swept 
aw^ay — houses along the coast were overturned — the 
6 



66 



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waves of ocean, in all their anger, rolled mountain- 
high — vessels were stranded on the beach, only to per- 
ish in the storm — while others were wrecked, went 
clown, with all their crew, beneath the angry waves. 
And now, every person on shore trembled for the fate 
of the Eddystone Light-house keepers. All sup- 
posed that they were swept away, and that the soli- 
tary rock again was houseless. But when the storm 
subsided, at the early dawn, they took their spy- 
glasses, and through the misty darkness, they peered 
away in the direction of the Eddystone, and lo ! there 
stood the light -house, its light still gleaming, far out 
over the raging elements, and its streamers still flut- 
tering over its dome. And now, all exclaimed, both 
friends and foes, it is a tried Light-house — we can no 
longer doubt. And so it has been with the Church. 
More than eighteen hundred years ago, Christ pro- 
posed to build this Light-house for the world, on the 
Rock of Ages. And although it has been built amidst 
the proud scorn, and contempt, of a gainsaying world — 
yet the work has steadily progressed, and the cap-stone 
has been brought forth with shoutings of "Grace, 
grace unto it" — and her light has been streaming out, 
over the wild wilderness of seas, for long ages. Her 
enemies have often predicted her downfall, and that 
her inmates would perish in her ruins. But, although 
the fiercest storms of earth and hell, have howled 



PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH. 67 

around her — storms which have swept away thrones, 
demolished cities, and swallowed up empires ; yet 
when these storms have subsided, men had only to 
look away through the mists of earth, in the direc- 
tion of the Rock of Ages, to behold the Church still 
standing, with her streamers floating in triumph, and 
her light still shining out upon the raging elements, 
at her base. To-day, we point to her as a tried 
Church — one that shall stand forever, "the light of 
the world." 

How lovely, as well as how secure is the Christian 
Church. She is the fairest born, virgin daughter of 
Heaven. The rainbow of mercy spans her brow — 
love beams in her eye, and glow r s upon her counte- 
nance — over her, streams the banner of the Cross — 
in one hand she has the promise of the life that now 
is, and in the other the richer promise of that w r hich 
is to come — while in accents " sweeter than angel's 
hymnings," she invites the "weary and heavy laden" 
to come, and find with her, a peaceful home of rest. 
Thus we "look upon Zion, the city of our solemni- 
ties" — and our eyes behold "Jerusalem a quiet hab- 
itation; a tabernacle that shall not be taken down" — 
A Home — a Home — -a quiet Home — a stable Home — 
a Home " with Christ in God." 



68 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



III. The Prosperity of the Church. 

" There the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of 
broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley 
with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby." 
Here, God becomes at once the defense, and source 
of prosperity to his Church. He is " the glorious 
Lord" In being gracious, he is glorious. When he 
exhibited his glory to Moses, so far as he could see 
it, and live, he simply says, " I will cause all my good- 
ness to pass before thee:" His goodness, then, is his 
glory. But this "Glorious Lord" shall be to his 
Church, as a place of "broad rivers and streams." 
Here the Church is likened unto a city built upon 
great rivers and bays. 

Jerusalem, literally, had no considerable river run- 
ning by it, as most great cities have — she had nothing 
but the small brook Kidron. She, therefore, needed 
one of the best natural fortifications, as well as one 
of the greatest advantages for trade and commerce, 
and consequent prosperity. Hence her enemies de- 
spised her, and thought it impossible for her to com- 
pete with her rivals — and that at any time, they could 
make her an easy prey. And just so have the ene- 
mies of Christianity thought and talked about the 
Church. Listen to the loud boastings, and sarcas- 
tic sneers of Infidel philosophers. The Head and 

• 

founder of the Church is called the " Son of a car- 



PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH. 69 



penter " — her ministers "ignorant, weak, unlettered 
fishermen/' and her members " weak-minded, credu- 
lous fanatics "—and, that like Jerusalem, the Church 
has nothing but the small brook Kidron, in the way 
of earthly eminence, or renown. But hark ye ! What 
says our " Glorious Lord?" "I will be unto her a 
place of broad rivers and streams:" I will be to 
her for fortifications, for trade, commerce, and pros- 
perity — My Church shall grow, flourish, and increase 
in power, and influence, under my patronage and care, 
like the great city on " broad rivers and bays." 

But the question arises, "may not these rivers and 
bays yield an easy access to the fleet of an enemy?" 
No. Hark ye, again ! " In these streams shall go 
no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ships " — that 
is, ships of war — "go up thereon." If our glorious 
Lord be the rivers and bays, then they must needs be 
inaccessible to the fleet of an enemy: — into them the 
enemy can neither find nor force his way — and very 
often his gallant ship is disarmed, and unrigged, when 
he thinks he has almost gained his point. 

But the growth of the Church is clearly implied, in 
this advantage of rivers and streams. When we have 
looked at the Church, in her infant struggles against 
her formidable foes, we have sometimes exclaimed 
with the Prophet, "By whom shall Jacob arise? for 
he is small?" But here we have an answer to the 



70 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



question, and an answer which banishes every fear: 
By our glorious Lord, Jacob shall arise, and " a little 
one shall become a thousand." 

The City of the Church is now rapidly improving — 
and her enterprise for still greater improvements, keeps 
pace with the vast and rapid increase, of her almost 
boundless resources. Already she is " established in 
the top of the mountains, and exalted above the hills ; 
and all nations are flowing unto her" — flying "as a 
cloud, and as the doves to her windows." "The isles 
are waiting for her, and the ships of Tarshish, to 
bring her sons from afar, and their silver and their 
gold with them, unto the name of the Lord her God, 
and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glori- 
fied her." She is already a crown of glory in the 
hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem, in the hand of 
her God. Truly, "Glorious things are spoken of 
thee, City of God!" On her walls — on her domes — 
on her lofty spires — and on a thousand streamers, is 
written in storm-defying letters of gold — "New Jeru- 
salem — the City of God." 

The conquests of Messiah are being carried" on, 
more or less, by all the nations of Christendom. But 
without fulsome flattery, of our own nation, which is 
in herself the fulfillment of a most startling pro- 
phecy — "a nation born to God in a day" — we hold 
that the American Zion, is destined to occupy the 



PEACE AXD PROSPERITY OF THE CHURCH. 71 



front rank, in the great enterprise of the world's con- 
version. Ours is a nation of almost boundless re- 
sources, possessing within herself the means of feed- 
ing and clothing a world — a nation with a bold and 
daring spirit, not easily subdued, and capable of the 
most brilliant enterprises. The neutrality of her flag, 
insures her a ready welcome, in all the ports of the 
world; and she is winning the heart of the nations, 
by furnishing a home — an asylum — for the down- 
trodden and oppressed, who come from afar. With 
all these advantages, the nation whose flag is gemmed 
with stars, and all striped with bars of flame, a Chris- 
tian nation, baptized at a Christian font, and cradled 
in religious institutions, must eventually stand in front 
of the "sacramental host" and lift high the banner 
of the Cross, and proclaim "the acceptable year of 
the Lord" to all the world. There the American 
Zion will stand, when the day of Christian triumph 
shall come — when earth shall be made like unto the 
Eden of God — and shall start the tune for the millen- 
nial chant, and be the first to commence the long, and 
loud, thousand year shout, which shall roll up, in 
sweetest melody, into the ear of a listening heaven, to 
be echoed back to earth — "Alleluia: Salvation, and 
glory, and honor, and power," unto the conquering 
Jesus — for " the kingdoms of this world, have become 
the kingdoms of our God, and his Christ." 



72 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



What now, think you of the Church? Surely she 
is a God-built city — a Divine Institution; and shall 
stand forever. She has been the home of your fa- 
thers, and shall be the home of your children, and 
your children's children, to the latest generations of 
men. Millions have died upon her couches, with their 
heads pillowed upon her bosom, and have gone to join 
the ranks of the redeemed in the raptures of the skies ; 
and the same destiny awaits all who are faithful to 
God and his Church, until their dying day. From the 
Church in her militant state, we shall be transferred 
to the Church in her triumphant state. And as " the 
city of our solemnities" is not a "tabernacle to be 
taken down," in the final issue, God shall take her up, 
to remain forever before his throne, as "the Bride, 
the Lamb's wife" — and so shall she "ever be with the 
Lord." 



THE HANDFUL OF CORN. 



73 



DISCOURSE III. 

THE HANDFUL OF COEN. 

" There shall be a handful of corn in the earth ) upon the top 
of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: 
and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. 

u His name shall endure forever: his name shall be continued 
as long as the sun : and men shall be blessed in him : all nations 
shall call him blessed. 

u Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeih 
wondrous things. 

" And blessed be his glorious name forever : and let the whole 
earth be filled with his glory ; Amen and Amen" — Psalms lxxii, 
16, 17, 18, 19. 

The Hebrew poetry has always been distinguished 
for its boldness, and its beauty. And for these qual- 
ities in style, no man has ever excelled the Monarch 
Minstrel — David. The circumstances of his early 
education — the scenery which surrounded him in his 
rural life, as the keeper of his father's sheep — the 
hills, the mountains, and the forests, which rose up 
all around him, in their wildness of grandeur — and 
the picturesque scenery so constantly spread out be- 
7 



74 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



fore him, were well calculated to develop a vivid 
imagination, and give boldness and beauty, to the im- 
agery of his thoughts, and his style of writing. But 
no doubt his style was greatly improved by the inspi- 
ration of God, whereby he was favored with the light 
of prophetic vision. In common with his cotempo- 
raries, he could draw upon the past from history and 
tradition, and upon the present from observation, yet 
he far outstrips them all, when by the far-reaching 
eye of prophecy, he brings up bright visions of the 
future, giving brilliancy to his thoughts, and tran- 
scendent beauty to the pictures which he drew. The 
passage before us is a matchless specimen of compo- 
sition, with which, nothing in all the classics can be 
compared. 

We understand the text to be descriptive of Christ 
and his Gospel, and not, as some have held, of Sol- 
omon, or any other earthly Potentate. 2vo poetic 
license would be sufficient to warrant an inspired 
man of God, in an application to Solomon, or any 
other mere man, such phrases as these: "Blessed be 
the Lord God" — "Blessed be his glorious name for- 
ever" — "Who only doeth wondrous things," etc. But 
such phrases are applied to the Great Hero of the 
Psalm ; and hence we are warranted in the conclusion, 
that the whole passage is descriptive of Christ and 
his glorious Gospel. 



THE HANDFUL OF CORN. 



75 



In the rich and highly figurative language of the 
text, we have, 

I. Some of the Characteristics of Christianity. 

" There shall be a handful of corn in the earth, on 
the top of the mountains ; the fruit thereof shall shake 
like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like 
grass of the earth" 

The first figure in this verse, is this: "A handful 
of corn' 5 — that is, a very small quantity, a mere 
"handful" — is taken by the sower, and cast forth in 
the earth- — not in the rich lowlands, or alluvial soil 
of the valley — but on the highest peak of the rocky, 
sterile mountain summit— the least fertile part of 
the earth — the most unpromising place to produce 
the desired harvest And yet strange, miraculously 
strange — even in this mountain sterility, " a little one 
becomes a thousand," and it grows, and grows luxu- 
riantly, increasing in strength, spreads out and towers 
upward, until the golden harvest of rich rustling ears, 
in the mountain breeze, wave and shake like the for- 
est trees of Lebanon. 

In this figure we have, 

1. The moral and political character of the soil, in 
which "the seed of the kingdom" has been sown. 

Take, for example, the character of the ancient 
Jews. Of all the nations of earth, whose history has 



76 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



reached our times, the Jews were the most constitu- 
tionally predisposed to skepticism, or general doubt. 
Incredulity was a distinguishing trait in their char- 
acter. So much so that they always required " a 
6-/ ///.*' Look at them under the administration of 
Moses, their own miracle-working leader : a continued 
succession of miracles was necessary to insure their 
fidelity in the worship of the true God. They are 
brought out of Egypt with u a mighty hand/' to 
the confusion of their enemies and oppressors ; are 
brought through the " Red Sea dry-shod," to chant, 
and raise their song of triumph on the shore of de- 
liverance, while Pharaoh and his hosts are swallowed 
up in the overflowing waters ; manna, for bread, is 
rained out of heaven ; quails, for meat, are sent by 
k -an east wind:** and water comes gushing clear and 
cool from the smitten, flinty rock. Yet no sooner do 
the miracles cease, though it be but for a day, and 
Moses is out of their sight, than, with one consent, 
they make for themselves " a golden calf,' 7 which they 
i holatrously worship, and thus abjure the Great God 
of Israel. Such was their proneness to infidelity, and 
the grossest idolatry. 

Again, take a view of the notions they entertained 
of their coming Messiah. To be sure their Scriptures 
clearly set forth his character, and the manner of his 
coming, yet they had grossly neglected these, and all 



THE HANDFUL OF CORN. 



77 



their views were perverted and erroneous. Almost 
unanimously, they held that when Messiah came, he 
would descend out of heaven, clothed in all the gor- 
geous habiliments of a reigning monarch, scepter in hand, 
surrounded by an appropriate retinue, and two mount- 
ains would spontaneously rise up to greet him, upon 
which he should plant his feet, while all the world 
would behold and wonder. But instead of this, he 
comes as the "Babe of Bethlehem " — there is "no 
room for him in the Inn ;" but he is "born in a stable, 
and cradled in a manger?' He is poor, and "hath not 
where to lay his head;" is "as a root out of dry 
ground" — "a man of sorrows" — the reputed "son of 
a carpenter" — His "mother and brethren were with 
them" — and at last closes his life as a "malefactor," 
on the cross. He told them plainly " My kingdom is 
not of this world" — "If any man will be my disciple, 
let him deny himself, take up his cross, and come 
after me" — and also, "My disciples shall be hated of 
all men for my name's sake." Against such a Mes- 
siah, and such a system of religion, the prejudice of 
education, which was almost omnipotent, together with 
the civil and ecclesiastical powers, arrayed themselves 
in deadly hostility. 

Such are some of the characteristics of the soil, in 
which Christ and his Apostles sowed the " Corn," or 
"Seed of the kingdom." And judging with man's 



78 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



judgment, and speaking after the manner of men, we 
would as soon expect to raise a luxuriant crop of rus- 
tling corn, on the bleak and craggy summit of the 
mountain, as to look for a favorable reception of the 
Messiah and his gospel, among any portion of this 
people. 

We turn from these, to the Gentile, or Pagan world. 
But here we find the soil no better. Paul, with a 
master's hand, thus portrays the character of the Gen- 
tiles : "They changed the glory of the incorruptible 
God into an image made like to corruptible man, 
and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping 
thins;" — "changed the truth of God into a lie, and 
worshiped and served the creature, more than the 
Creator." Such was the grossness of their idolatory. 
And now from the same author we have a detailed 
account of their crimes, horrifying to all our moral 
sensibilities, and causing the blood to run chill in 
our veins: "Being filled with all unrighteousness, 
fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; 
full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whis- 
perers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, 
boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to par- 
ents, without understanding, covenant breakers, with- 
out natural affection, implacable, unmerciful." This 
completes the picture. Here we have a people ignorant 
of God, wholly immersed in idolatory, debased in their 



THE HANDFUL OF CORN. 



79 



moral character, and degraded, in their habits, to the 
lowest sinks of iniquity. And besides all this, the 
prejudices of their education, and their civil polity, 
were opposed to the spirit and prevalence of Chris- 
tianity. While "the Jews required a sign, the Greeks 
sought after wisdom/"' They claimed to possess the 
wisdom and learning of the world; and with a sneer, 
they referred to Jesus as the illiterate son of a carpen- 
ter, and as a man from Galilee, who met the fate of 
a malefactor; and his disciples as unlettered fisher- 
men ; and scorned the idea of such men, teaching such 
a religion, to the polished Greeks. 

Here, then, again we find for soil, the bleak sterility 
of the mountain-top, upon which the gospel "corn" 
is to be sown. Eeconnoiter the whole field, the 
world over, and we can find no better — all, all is 
moral desolation and sterility. And human nature 
has not unproved with age, if removed from the lights, 
the restraints, and the influences of Christianity. To 
this day, wherever the Christian missionary may go to 
preach "the Gospel of the grace of God" — to sow 
the precious seed, he finds the world in the same dark 
and deplorable condition. 

In the individual human heart, we find the same 
darkness, depravity, and opposition to "pure relig- 
ion." "The carnal mind is enmity against God, it is 
not subject to his law, neither indeed can it be. 7 ' To 



80 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



be sure, here, in the full blaze of Christianity and 
civilization, it may sometimes appear, externally, as 
beautiful as "the whited sepulcher," yet, at the same 
time, it is, morally, "within, full of dead men's bones, 
and all rottenness." Paul shall finish the picture of 
the unrenewed and carnally -minded sons of Adam. 
He says, " Their throat is an open sepulcher ; with 
their tongues they have used deceit ; the poison of 
asps is under their lips; their mouth is full of cursing 
and bitterness ; their feet are swift to shed blood ; 
destruction and misery are in their ways ; and the 
way of peace they have not known." With such a 
picture of the human heart before us, how is it that 
the smooth and velvet-tongued flatterers of human 
nature can tell us, that human nature is not so bad 
as the "orthodox ministers" represent it — nay, that 
it is as "stainless as a white sheet of paper" The 
history of the world, our own observation and expe- 
rience, as well as the positive declarations of Holy 
Writ, all go to confirm the position, that our moral 
nature is deeply and darkly depraved; so much so, 
that " the whole head is sick, and the whole heart 
faint," and that it is aptly characterized in three 
words — "earthly, sensual, devilish!" And this is our 
inheritance from a fallen and depraved parentage ; 
and hence it is said we were " shapen in iniquity " 
and "conceived in sin," and that we "go estray from 



THE HANDFUL OF COKN. 



81 



tlie birth, as the wild ass-colt." One more quotation 
shall finish the picture of man's depravity; and we 
pray that it may be "as a nail in a sure place," pro- 
ducing conviction, in every bosom, of our dreadful 
malady. God says, "The heart of man" — that is of 
all mankind, as there is no article to limit the noun 
man, which, must, therefore, be taken in its widest 
sense, and mean all men — your heart, my heart, every 
heart — "The heart of man is deceitful, above all things, 
and it is desperately wicked : ivho can know it ? " 

Here, again, we have the cold sterility of "the top 
of the mountain," on which the "handful of corn" is 
to be sown. And in such a soil as this— from such 
hearts, all " earthly, sensual, and devilish " who would 
expect to raise a luxuriant crop of the "fruits of the 
Spirit ?" — such as, love — joy — peace — long -suffering — 
gentleness — meekness — brotherly kindness — and char- 
ity. Yet such are the fruits which are to be pro- 
duced by "the seed of the kingdom," even upon "the 
top of the mountain," and which are to "shake like 
Lebanon." 

2. But we have in this figure, the small beginning of 
Christianity — "A handful of corn" 

Our Lord Jesus Christ made use of similar figures 
with which to illustrate the kingdom of grace. Hear 
him: "Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of 
God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? 



82 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



It is like a grain of mustard-seed, which, when it is 
sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in 
the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and 
be cometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out 
great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge 
under the shadow of it." And again, " The kingdom 
of heaven is like a little leaven, which a woman took 
and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was 
leavened." The gospel of Christ, then, is fitly com- 
pared, in its early rise, to a " handful of corn." 

Let us glance at the history of its early promulga- 
tion. Look at the agents employed. They were few 
in numbers. The great commission, in all its ampli- 
tude, was given to " the twelve.'' To them it was said 
" Go ye into all the world, and preach my gospel to 
every creature." What a work for a mere handful 
of men ; and they the ministers of an infant Church — 
poor, feeble, and persecuted. But look at the char- 
acter of the men. They were not men of renown, 
from the schools of Philosophy ; and could not charm, 
or attract, by the tinsel of oratory, or the flowers of 
rhetoric: but they were simple, unlettered men, called 
from the fisheries of Galilee, and the rude hamlets 
of the peasantry, to demonstrate to all the world that, 
" the excellency of the power was of God, and not of 
men." This "little flock" went forth in the name 
of Jesus the crucified, and under the inspiration of 



THE HANDFUL OF CORN. 



83 



the Holy Ghost, into the wild wilderness of human 
souls, intrusted with a mere "handful of corn" — the 
precious seed of the kingdom, and scattered it all 
abroad — not in rich, fertile vales, or alluvial soil, for 
such could not be found — but on the craggy mountain 
sterility, of Jewish and Gentile hearts. 

The command of Jesus was, " Begin at Jerusa- 
lem" — the highest peak of the barren mountain. 
This seems hard, and rouses ail our sympathies for 
the little band of heroes. See them standing around 
their Lord, gazing into his face with tearful eye, and 
intently listening for their instructions : And now 
hear him say, "Repentance and remission of sins 
must be preached in my name, in all the world, begin- 
ning at Jerusalem !" 0, this last clause almost un- 
mans them, and they are ready to expostulate : 
Lord, not at Jerusalem- — let us begin in some other 
place — in some other city of Judea — or, even among 
the Gentiles — any other place rather than at Jerusa- 
lem. Ah ! Lord, remember that but a few days ago 
they crucified thee there, and thy blood is yet fresh 
upon the sides and summit of Calvary ! Thy mur- 
derers are there — the bloody, hypocritical Pilate, and 
the cruel brood of Roman soldiers, are all there ! and 
all the hellish hate which nailed thee to the Cross, 
crowned thee with thorns, and pierced thy precious 
side, is still rankling in the hearts of Jerusalem sin- 



84 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



ners. Lord, send us first somewhere else, and let us 
gain position and power, before we go to Jerusalem. 
But no ! Jesus again lifts up his voice and reiterates 
the command, " Beginning at Jerusalem !" Go there, 
and if you meet Pilate, as he rolls in his chariot, al- 
though his hands may be all gory w T ith my blood, offer 
him pardon, life, and heaven, through my death ; if 
you meet the motley crew of Roman soldiers, who 
wielded the hammer, and drove the nails, tell them, 
! tell them all, that it was for them I died ; and, to 
the cruel, hard-hearted wretch who wove the crown 
of thorns for my temples, offer a crown of glory ! 
Go, go, first to Jerusalem, and before the crowding 
throngs of her murderous sinners, w 7 ave my gory 
vesture, and lift the banner of the cross. Charge 
home upon them the murder of the Son of God, and 
then offer them pardon, if they but repent and believe. 
Say to them, " This same Jesus whom ye have taken, 
and with wicked hands have crucified and slain, God 
hath raised from the dead ; " and now salvation is 
offered to you all, through faith in his name. 

And now, in obedience to this command, they go, 
first to Jerusalem, and preach " Jesus and the resur- 
rection" — and from thence they go to another mount- 
ain, equally barren, even to the Gentiles, and publish 
the same message. And this is the " handful of corn 
on the top of the mountains." 



THE HANDFUL OF CORN. 



85 



3. This figure also brings to our view, the rapid 
spread, and astonishing growth of Christianity — " The 
fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon" 

At Jerusalem, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter came 
forward, and commenced sowing the gospel " corn" 
on the top of this mountain — in the sterility of Jew- 
ish hearts. And behold his success ! The infant 
Church had been engaged in holding a general prayer 
meeting, which wound up with a rapturous shout of 
praise : For the Holy Ghost fell upon them, and they 
commenced speaking with " tongues," and proclaimed 
to all around, what wonders God had wrought. And 
there were present " Parthians, and Medes, and Elam- 
ites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, 
and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and 
Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Lybia about 
Cyrene, and strangers of Home, Jews, and proselytes, 
Cretes, and Arabians ; " yet they could all hear, in their 
own language, some happy soul telling of the won- 
drous love of Jesus, and the power of his resurrec- 
tion. Peter was thus emboldened by the Holy Ghost, 
and commenced scattering his " handful of corn," in 
a sermon of great simplicity, but of extraordinary 
power and pathos. And though the seed fell "upon 
the top of the mountain," yet suddenly it springs up, 
grows, and grows higher, and still higher, until ripe 
and rustling in the mountain breeze, behold! it shakes 



86 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



like Lebanon. Three thousand are converted in a 
day — three thousand hard-hearted, murderous sinners, 
changed from the ferocity of the lion, to the gentle- 
ness of the lamb. And all this, at Jerusalem. Still 
the "corn" grows, and the work spreads, until within 
a very few days, the " Church Records " show a mem- 
bership of five thousand. "So mightily grew the 
word of God, and prevailed." Like the trees of 
Lebanon, it waved and rustled in richest splendor on 
the top of the mountains. 

Having thus begun at Jerusalem, they go forth on 
their mission to other mountains. And when the Jews 
rejected their message, you hear them exclaim, " See- 
ing you count yourselves unworthy of eternal life, 
lo! we turn to the Gentiles." And then on, and still 
onward they go, bearing the precious seed to the dark 
mountains of Gentilism. And wherever they scat- 
tered the corn, there " God added unto their numbers, 
daily, such as should be saved.' 7 So rapid was their 
progress, and so astonishing the growth of the Chris- 
tian Church, that a letter writer says to a friend, 
" They, who were but of yesterday, have filled our 
cities, towns, and villages, and spread over the whole 
country." All were faithful laborers, but Paul seems 
to be most " abundant in labor." And while he sees 
the luxuriant "corn" waving upon the mountains all 
around him — on he goes, with heroic daring, carrying 



THE HANDFUL OF CORN. 



87 



his moral conquests, from city to city, until he marches 
triumphantly forward, and plants the Cross on the 
very thrones of the Caesars, exclaiming " I am ready 
to preach the gospel, to you who are at Rome, also." 
And now behold ! even in the " seven-hilled city," 
multitudes hail the name of Jesus, and " crown him 
Lord of all." 

All who are familiar with prophetic figures, will at 
once be reminded by this subject, of the figure under 
which it is presented by the prophet of God, in one 
of the Psalms. He speaks of a seedling shrub, planted 
in a place, and under circumstances, all unfavorable 
to its growth — rudely assaulted, and yet becoming a 
mighty tree. We borrow this inimitable figure : Had 
Christianity been a plant of luxuriant growth, trans- 
planted from the garden of God, into rich alluvial soil ; 
had gentle and timely show r ers watered, and a genial 
sun warmed it ; had the hedge of civil protection been 
thrown around about it, and the smile of royalty 
cheered it; then, no marvel if it should have over- 
spread the earth, and become the shade- tree of the 
nations. But not so. Christianity was a seedling, 
young and tender, planted — not in the rich fertile 
vale — but amidst the barren hills of Judea, or on the 
top of the mountain; with no hedge of civil protec- 
tion around it, or master hand of the great ones of 
earth to guard it — the goats rudely gamboled and 



88 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 

grazed over its roots — the wild stag browsed its ten- 
der buds — the ax of persecution was wont to lop off 
its branches — the thunder rolled through its top — the 
lightning scathed its boughs — and the wild boar out 
of the forest, whetted his tusks on its trunk: Still it 
grows, and is seen lifting its top aloft, spreading its 
branches wider and higher — until lo ! its towering top 
is in heaven, among the stars of God, and its branches 
are over the nations ! And this day, happy millions 
are " sitting under its shadows with great delight, and 
its fruit is sweet to their taste. " Glorious Tree of 
Heaven ! 

Such has been the rapid advance of Christianity; 
and such are still the results of its faithful promul- 
gation. The gospel has lost none of its power. The 
results of evangelical preaching are the same now, as 
in the days of the Apostles. The history of modern 
missions clearly shows that, even now, "a handful of 
corn" on the top of the mountains of heathendom, 
will spring up and grow, until 64 the fruit thereof 
shakes like Lebanon." 

See the evangelical missionary embarking for a 
dark and distant land, with no treasure save a 
"handful of corn." He is gone — and as he goes 
he sings 

Far away ye billows bear me; 
Lovely native land, farewell." 



THE HANDFUL OF CORN. 89 

When he arrives at the place of destination, he 
finds that " darkness covers the land, and gross dark- 
ness the people." He searches for a suitable place 
in which to sow the precious seed ; but lo ! it is all 
barren. The best place he can find is the sterile 
c * top of the mountains." After reconnoitering the 
ground, he " goes forth weeping, bearing precious 
seed," and with heart uplifted to God for his bless- 
ing, he sows the seed — and on his knees in prayer, 
he waits the result. He looks, and lo, it has sprouted 
and the green blade appears: — he looks again, and 
the tall stalk is rising up: — again, and the ripe rus- 
tling corn greets his vision ; and lost in wonder, he ex- 
claims, "What hath God wrought!" But still again 
he looks, and lo ! the mountain is covered with a 
golden harvest — and the shouts of the redeemed greet 
his ear on every side — -heathen temples are falling, 
" Bel is bowing, and Nebo stooping," and the loud 
hallelujahs of new-born souls, are echoing far and 
near, while "the wilderness and the solitary place 
are made glad for them, and the desert rejoices and 
blossoms as the rose." And now in holy rapture, he 
sits down and writes a letter back to his native land, 
as short and as significant as that of Caesar : " Vent, 
vidi, vici" — I came, I saw the miserable and ruined 
condition of the heathen world — but lifted the banner 

of the cross, preached "Jesus, and the power of his 
8 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



resurrection " — and in this matchless name, I con- 
quered. And behold ! now, " The mountain of the 
Lord's house is established on the top of the mount- 
ains, and all nations are flowing unto it." Such is 
the power and prevalence of this gospel of power, in 
all lands. 

4. The figure is changed, a?id toe are told tliat 
" They of the city shall flourish like grass of the 
earths 

" They of the city," that is, they of the Church, 
" shall flourish like grass of the earth." The Church 
is called the city of God — and it is said " Glorious 
things are spoken of thee, city of God " — and thy 
denizens " shall flourish as the grass of the earth." 
That is, they shall not be as the dry and withered 
stubble — but lively and flourishing. Moroseness, or 
" moping melancholy," has no place in Christian char- 
acter. If " a glad heart maketh a cheerful counte- 
nance," then should Christians, with hearts made glad 
by "the peace of God which passeth all understand- 
ing," always wear a bright and cheerful countenance, 
finding all the walks of the city to be "ways of pleas- 
antness, and. all her paths, paths of peace." 

Again, they flourish as the grass growing in union. 
The prayer of Jesus is, " Father, I will that they may 
be one, even as we are one." The grass in the mead, 
is all interwoven, the roots and spires mingling and 



THE HANDFUL OF CORN. 



91 



commingling together, so that you can not shake one 
spire, without disturbing another, nor pull up one, 
without injury to another. The whole meadow forms 
a perfect whole. In like manner, all Christians flour- 
ish in the Church of God. The doctrine we would 
inculcate is the union of Christians. In this is the 
seeret of the strength of the Church— and upon this 
principle, while " one shall chase a thousand, two shall 
put ten thousand to flight." We would to God that 
it could be said of all who bear the Christian name, 
" See how these Christians love : " then would Infi- 
delity be confounded, and the Zion of God would be 
" as terrible as an army with banners." 

But, that you may more fully appreciate the beauty 
of this figure, in early morn, look out upon yonder 
green and flowery mead, while it is all bathed in 
dew — its pearly drops trembling upon the spires of 
grass, and glittering in the bosom of every flower, 
like crystal tears of heaven. And now the morning 
sun is just appearing above the horizon, his rays fall 
obliquely upon the crystal drops, causing them to glit- 
ter like burnished gold; and these interspersed with 
the green grass, in motion, and the richly variegated 
hues of the flowers — and you have a scene of rich- 
ness and beauty, beyond all description, from poet or 
painter. And still, all this is but a faint emblem of 
the richer beauties and more transcendant glories, of 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



the Christian Church, where " Brethren dwell together 
in unity" — which is said to be a As the dew of Her- 
raon, and as the dew that descended upon the mount- 
ains of Zion : for there the Lord commanded the 
blessing, even life for evermore." The Church, all 
bathed in the dews of heavenly grace, reflects the 
beams of the Sun of Righteousness, which rises upon 
her in all his richness and radiance, and she becomes 
"the light of the world" — the "city set upon a hill, 
which can not be hid." 

II. The text brixgs to view the Durability, 
Extent, axd Fruits of Christ's kingdom, 

1. Durability. " His name shall endure forever" — 
"be continued as long as the sun." Immortal 
Jesus ! " Thy throne, God, is forever and ever." 
After having " spoiled principalities and powers," and 
led death a conquered captive at his chariot-wheels, 
with the keys of the grave in his hand, he ascends 
far up into the heavens, proclaiming, as he goes, in 
a voice that thrills through ether, aod fills three 
worlds with its echo, "I am he that liveth and was 
dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore!" Now 
the victorious saint of God can assert his superiority 
to earthly toil, conflict, pain, disease, and even death 
itself, for, Jesus lives ! The world may be in com- 
motion all around him — " the sea may roar, and the 



THE HANDFUL OF CORN. 



93 



mountains shake with the swelling thereof" — yet still 
he lifts up his head undismayed and says, the Church 
shall stand, and I shall be unharmed — for Jesus lives! 
When " sickness blasts and death devours," calling 
his dearest loved ones of earth from his embrace, 
around their new-made graves he still exclaims, 
Jesus lives! and is my "friend sticking closer than a 
brother" — or is he called to grapple with the mon- 
ster death, himself, he still shouts in the last conflict, 
Jesus lives! 

"He lives, and I shall conquer death ; 
He lives, my mansion to prepare — 
He lives, to bring me safely there." 

And in victorious triumph, he exclaims, "0 Death, 
where is thy sting? grave, where is thy victory?" 
Verily, "men shall be blessed in him." 

2. The Results, or Fruits. " All nations shall 
call him blessed." All Christian nations have said 
" Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the 
Lord" — all are pronouncing a blessing upon the name 
of Jesus. This is done in a national recognition of 
Christianity, and the institutions of our holy religion — 
such as the Christian Sabbath, and the Christian Min- 
istry. The Bible is recognized as the basis of law, 
and the standard of moral obligation — The Sabbath is 
recognized both in our Constitution and in our statu- 
tory law — And Christian Ministers are employed by 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



the nation to minister at the altar, in Legislative As- 
semblies, in the Army and the Navy. All these 
things go to show, that Nations, who have been blessed 
with the benign influences of Christianity on their 
institutions, their laws, and their literature, all unite 
in calling Jesus blessed. And such as have not, as 
yet, been thus favored, are virtually calling Messiah 
blessed, in their Macedonian cry to Christendom, 
" Come over and help us.' 7 All nations of earth are 
thirsting for the benefits of our Christian Civilization 
and Free Institutions. Thus our Christ is winning 
for himself a world-wide fame, by subduing the na- 
tions to himself. Eide on, thou conquering " Prince 
of Salvation/' until " every knee shall bow, and every 
tongue confess" — turn, and overturn — " sweep the 
nations, shake the earth" — until thou, whose right it 
is, shall reign "King of nations, as thou art King of 
saints!' 7 

III. The whole subject is wound up with a 

DOXOLOGY AND A PRAYER. 

1. The Doxology. "Blessed be the Lord God, the 
God of Israel" — "and blessed be his glorious name 
forever." He is in raptures of joy — and with swell- 
ing heart and heaving bosom, all glowing with grati- 
tude, he gives utterance to his emotions in words, 
and exclaims, as millions have since, in the language 



THE HANDFUL OF CORN. 



95 



of the Liturgy, " Glory be to the Father, and to the 
Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the begin- 
ning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. 
Amen." 

But he is not fanatical. He assigns a reason for 
his joyous exclamations of praise: "He only doeth 
ivondrous things!" Our Christ merits the praise of 
the whole earth. Behold the wonders he has wrought ! 
Enough to fill all hearts with " wonder, love, and 
praise." He has scattered a handful of precious 
corn in the earth, on the top of the mountains ; and 
the world is filled with wonder, to see the fruit there- 
of shaking like Lebanon. We have seen, even in the 
dark mountains of Jewish incredulity, and Gentile 
idolatry and corruption, Christian temples rising, in 
all their stately grandeur, and Christian Churches 
flourishing in all their glory. And this day we be- 
hold the Zion of God, the Church of Jesus Christ, as 
"A great winder in heaven — clothed with the sun, 
the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown 
of twelve stars." Here are " ivondrous things" 
But he has also caused his people to "flourish as the 
grass of the earth." He is even now destroying the 
animosities of earth, uniting the family of man in one 
vast brotherhood, making plowshares of swords, 
and pruning-hooks of spears — destroying selfishness, 
and bringing about the universal fraternity of man; 



96 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



when heart shall blend with heart, in holy alliance of 
sympathy and love. Xone but the Omnipotent Jesus 
can accomplish such wonders : and hence we exclaim 
in concert with all the redeemed of God, from every 
nation, %i Blessed be his glorious name forever. 

2. The Psalmist's Prayer. "Let the whole earth 
be filled with his glory ; Amen and Amen/* What 
a prayer ! Here is a world-wide benevolence, such as 
may be found in every genuine Christian heart. A 
miserable, all-grasping spirit of selfishness, finds no 
place in a Christian's bosom. Jesus, the Master, said, 
w The field is the world " — and we respond, " The 
field is the world" — and nothing short of this will 
satisfy us. if we have the spirit of Christ. If our 
own hearts are filled with his glory, our prayer is 
that "the house of the Lord," his Church, may be 
filled — and when this prayer is answered — filled and 
surrounded with the glory of God, we are ready to 
exclaim, in life and in death, '"Let the whole earth 
be filled with his glory ! 77 And in enthusiastic rap- 
ture, respond. "Amen" — so he if. "and Amen' 7 — so 
let it be — and so it shall be. All- conquering Jesus, 
push on thy conquests — wave thy banner — sway thy 
scepter — until all the world shall submit to thy reign, 
and " the whole earth be filled with thy glorv • Amen 
and Amen."' 

The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are 



THE HANDFUL OF CORN. 



97 



ended." This was his last prayer, uttered in the em- 
brace of death. 0, what a death ! To die praying 
for the world ! Praying for the world to be filled 
with glory, he breathes out his soul into the bosom 
of his God, to live and revel in his glory, forever and 
ever. "Let me die the death of the righteous." 
And, 

" Happy if with my latest breath, 
I may but gasp his name ; 
Preach him to all, and cry in death, 
Behold! behold the Lamb." 

Having done all in our power, while living, to 
spread abroad " the savor of a Redeemer's name," let 
us die, as did the son of Jesse, in rapturous joy, 
praying for the world — a doxology and a prayer, upon 
our lips : "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, 
who only doeth ivondrous things. And blessed be his 
glorious name forever: and let the whole earth be filled 
with his glory: Amen, and Amen. 
9 



98 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



DISCOURSE IV. 

THE GEEAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 

11 And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness : 
God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of 
angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the ivorld, re' 
ceived up into glory." — 1 Tim. iii : 16. 

This text is from the pen of the logical Paul, who 
may be regarded as one of the most brilliant exam- 
ples, and best instructors, of the Christian Ministry. 
In himself, he is a demonstration of the truth of the 
Christian religion. As an inspired man of God, he 
stands before us in almost peerless grandeur, and 
every sentence which falls from his lips, or is traced 
by his masterly pen, demands our wrapt attention, 
and careful consideration. 

From the very moment of his conversion to Chris- 
tianity, until the day of his bloody martyrdom, he 
manifests an extraordinary zeal for the advancement 
of the Gospel of Christ, and the universal triumph of the 
Church. And in no place does this zeal manifest itself 
more fully, than in his prison productions. Take, for 



THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 



99 



example, his letters to Timothy, a youthful minister. 
For this young man he .seems to feel an unusual in- 
terest. This interest may have arisen from two con- 
siderations : He was a young minister, just entering 
upon the work of an ambassador for God, and as Paul 
knew so much about the awful responsibilities of his 
calling, he could but feel a lively interest — a deep 
anxiety, that he should " make full proof of his min- 
istry.'"' But in addition to this, Timothy was his "own 
son, according to the common faith." Although "from 
a child, he had known the Holy Scriptures," yet, 
through Paul's instrumentality, he had been converted 
to God, and afterward placed in the ministry ; and he 
feels that he stands in the endearing relation to him, 
of a father to a son. 

And now, from his grated dungeon, he writes to his 
"beloved son in the Gospel," a pungent, and most 
thrilling dissertation, cn the Christian Ministry. And 
then says, " Give thyself wholly to reading find 
study." " Study to show thyself approved unto God, 
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightfully 
dividing the word of truth." And again, "Let no 
man despise thy youth." He gives his reason for 
thus writing. It is, that, "If I tarry, that thou may- 
est know how to behave thyself in the house of God, 
which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and 
ground of the truth." He, however, seems to antici- 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



pate what would pass in Timothy's mind, on reading 
this letter of stringent instructions; that he might 
possibly say — What, my father, must I, who am a 
young man — in all the glow of youthful blood — must 
I abandon myself wholly to this work — forego all the 
pleasures, and entertainments of earth ; and give my- 
self " wholly to reading and study," just to be able 
to tell " the simple story of the Cross " — to preach 
"Christ crucified?" And he responds — True, your 
message is a simple story — the burden of it all, is 
"Christ crucified" — yet it is "not a cause of small 
import" — it is no ordinary message, below the atten- 
tion and profoundest thought of mightiest minds: 

" But what might fill an angel's heart, 
And filled a Savior's hands.' 

It is a lofty, all-engrossing, and ponderous theme — 
high as heaven, vast as eternity, and into which "the 
angels have desired to look," Here you will find 
ample scope for all your mightiest powers, and un- 
ceasing demand for a most vigorous outlay of all 
your mental and moral power — and you will have 
need, if you "make full proof of your ministry," to 
" give yourself wholly to these things ; " For, without 
controversy, great is the mystery of Godliness : God 
w T as manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen 
of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in 



THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 



101 



the world, received up into glory." What a rich and 
boundless field to explore ! 
We proceed to consider, 

I. The import of the positive statement of 
the Apostle — "Without controversy, great is 
the mystery of godliness." 

What is the import of this phrase? It has been 
the subject of much criticism, of grave dispute, and 
been variously understood. Our object shall be, sim- 
ply to arrive at the true meaning of the Apostle, 
avoiding all unnecessary controversy. 

Some have held, in oral discourse, and even in 
published essays, although of an ephemeral character, 
that the meaning is this : " Godliness is a great mys- 
tery, without controversy ; but with controversy r , there is 
no mystery." That is, so long as the truths of the 
gospel are uncontro verted, there is a drapery of mys- 
tery hanging around them ; but when we enter the 
arena of controversy, this drapery is all torn away, 
by the bold hand of the controversialist, and after- 
ward, there is no mystery remaining. But surely, 
such a commentary upon the sacred text, can only be 
regarded as solemn trifling. Such men, virtually claim 
a power in controversy, far transcending that of St. 
Paul — mental acumen, and power of research, far 
beyond the great Apostle. He had fought with beasts 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT, 



at Ephesus, had met the enemies of Christianity in 
open conflict, upon every point in Christian The- 
ology, and had manfully contended for every article 
in "the faith, once delivered to the saints ;" and yet, 
■when fresh from the polemical arena, crowned with 
victory, he takes a contemplative survey of the whole 
scheme of man's redemption by Jesus Christ, and 
exclaims, "0 the depth of the riches, both of the 
wisdom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable 
are his judgments, and his ways past finding out ! n 
Still the unfathomable mystery remains. But still 
more; these lAliputiam of to-day, not only stretch 
themselves beyond the measure of an Apostle, but 
they also claim powers of comprehension far superior 
to angels, cherubim, and seraphim. After thousands 
of years' study, upon this theme, with folded wings 
and intense interest, they still gaze and wonder at 
the mysteries of redemption; and hence we read, 
" Which things the angels desire to look into J 3 

We must, then, look farther for the import of the 
phrase. The meaning may be most satisfactorily de- 
termined, by a careful and critical reading of the text 
itself. The original words, xac b/jLOAoyou/isvcoz, which 
are here rendered "And without controversy ," literally 
signify, and confessedly — by general consent, a thing 
which no man can, or ought to dispute. This ex- 
presses the true sense of the original. Here, then. 



THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 103 



we have the import of the phrase, " Confessedly, great 
is the mystery of godliness" — It does not admit of a 
question. 

Still, we find teachers, all around us, who tell us 
that there are no mysteries in the Bible — that every 
thing contained in the Holy Scriptures, is perfectly 
plain, easy to be fathomed by reason, and perfectly 
within the comprehension of all. And to the super- 
ficial thinker, the argument by which the position 
is sustained, is, at first view, plausible, and well 
calculated to deceive, or mislead. It is stated thus : 
The Bible is a revelation — to reveal, is to make 
known, and how can that which is made known, be a 
mystery 1 ? But all the apparent force of the argu- 
ment, grows out of a confusion of thought — things 
are confounded together, which, in point of fact, are 
wholly distinct and separate — the existence of a 
thing, and the manner of its existence. The fact, and 
the how, are two distinct propositions — We may be 
allowed to illustrate our position. It is a well-known 
fact, that the grass grows ; but how it grows, is 
confessedly a great mystery. All nature is full of 
such illustrations. The thunder rolls through the 
heavens, and drops from the clouds, but hoiv, is a 
mystery — and the opening rosebud, blushing in all 
its fragrance and beauty, is a volume of mystery to 
the most intelligent beholder. In a word, all nature 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



is full of mystery. But even the exact sciences furnish 
us with illustrations. The mathematician, in almost 
numberless instances, can demonstrate that a thing 
is so, but finds himself so far enveloped in mys- 
tery, as to be unable to tell you, how it is so. For 
example ; the Geometrician can " demonstrate that 
there are curves, which approach continually to some 
fixed right line, without the possibility of ever 
meeting it. Such are hyperbolas, which continually 
approach toward their asymptotes, but can not possi- 
bly meet them, unless an assignable space can be- 
come equal to nothing." And again, the mathema- 
tician can demonstrate that " a space infinite, in one 
sense, may, by its rotation, generate a solid of finite 
capacity; as is the case with the solid, formed by 
the rotation of a logarithmic curve of infinite length 
upon its axis, or that formed by the rotation of 
an Apollonian hyperbola upon its asymptote." 
Here are mysteries, or incomprehensibilities, even in 
a science which by way of eminence is called Mathe- 
sis, and is considered superior to all other studies, in 
evidence, and certainty. But we have said enough, to 
answer all the paltry sophisms against the mysteries 
of revelation. Facts may be subjects of revelation, 
and yet be mysterious, and incomprehensible. God 
has clearly revealed, and demonstrated the truths 
of the Bible, and while we wonder and adore, we are 



THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 105 



constrained to say, confessedly, great is the mystery — 
or with Paul, " the depth of the riches, both of 
the wisdom and knowledge of God." 

This view, instead of being an objection to the 
Bible, furnishes us with an incontrovertible proof of 
its divine origin. If there was nothing in Nature 
but what we could perfectly comprehend — nothing 
but what was within the comprehension of a finite 
capacity — we would not hesitate to pronounce it, un- 
worthy of an Infinite Creator. In like manner, if the 
Bible contained nothing which was above our finite 
comprehension, w r e might conclude, that it was un- 
worthy of a God. But Nature, in her sublime mys- 
teries, proclaims her Divine Author, and, 

M Part of his name divinely stands, 
On all his creatures writ; 
They show the labor of his hands, 
Or impress of his feet: " 

And so it is, still more abundantly, in Revelation. 
Here is a vast ocean of clear, yet unfathomable and 
boundless truth, proclaiming its Great Original. In 
the very nature, or character of the truths revealed, 
the Divine signature, and seal, are placed upon every 
page of the Sacred Book. And 

"Here the whole Deity is known, 
Nor dares a creature guess 
Which of the glories brighter shone 
. The justice, or the grace." 



106 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



Hence it is, that we find the Bible to he an inex- 
haustible treasury. It never grows old, or stale; and 
we never cease to learn, by the careful study of its 
sacred pages. In this, it is unlike all the productions 
of mere men. Take any uninspired book — let it be 
from the most approved and favorite author — a man 
of the most profound and varied learning — a work 
written upon the most interesting subject, faultless in 
diction and arrangement ; and however you may be 
captivated, and your attention absorbed, with the first, 
second, or third perusal,, you may continue to pore 
over it, until, at last, it will cloy, and feeling that you 
have fully explored the field, culled the flowers, and 
gathered all the fruit, the book is laid aside as of no 
further interest. It is the production of a finite 
mind, and you have grasped it all. But not so with 
the Bible, the production of an Infinite Blind. You 
may make it a lifetime study, and bring to bear upon 
it, alb the varied learning of earth; and yet, year after 
year, decade after decade, it will continue forever to 
unfold new beauties — sublimer and still cublimer glo- 
ries, to the mind ; and your interest in its pages in- 
creases, with every passing day and year of study. 
The more you study, the more you admire ; and with 
increasing admiration, there is redoubled diligence in 
the study. And thus you continue, from vigorous 
youth, to hoary age ; and when you stand, a gray- 



THE OREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 



107 



haired student, tottering under the infirmities of 
years, on Jordan's brink, with the Bible still in your 
hands, you exclaim, "0 the depth of the riches" — 
and sing, as you did in your juvenile days, 

" Holy Bible, Book Divine ! 
Precious treasure, thou art mine ! " 

The Bible, then, is a book to be studied — to be 
always and constantly studied, as an inexhaustible 
treasury of wisdom and knowledge — the product of 
an Infinite Mind. It has been very beautifully said, 
that in the mightiest river that rolls, there may be 
found places where the little lamb can wade, although 
many where the elephant can swim. And so it is 
with the volume of Revelation. It is God's mightiest 
river, and yet the little children, at reason's earliest 
dawn, can wade in its pure waters — read and under- 
stand its holy precepts, and feed upon its exceeding 
great and precious promises, and thus grow up to 
vigorous manhood; while, at the same time, the tallest 
intellect, the mightiest mind, the most deeply thinking 
philosopher can swim in its ocean depths, revel with 
untold rapture amid its sublime mysteries, continually 
gathering pearl after pearl, of priceless value, and 
cry out, " the depths of the unsearchable riches 
of Christ" — the half can never be told. 

Such is the import of this exclamation of the Apos- 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



tie, and such are some of the sublime inferences to 
be drawn from it. " Confessedly great is the mystery 
of godliness"- — a great, but still a glorious mystery, 
which the Christian surveys with unutterable joy, and 

says, 

" My Book and heart 
Shall never part. 

Christianity is a great mystery. It never could 
have been found out by reason, or the light of nature. 
And although it is not contrary to reason, it is far 
above, and beyond its comprehension. But it is the 
mystery of godliness — not of philosophy, or mere spec- 
ulation — but one which is designed to promote godli- 
ness ; and withal, it is a mystery revealed — not sealed 
up from mortal gaze, but revealed to the w 7 orld — al- 
though the mystery continues, transcending the grasp, 
or comprehension, of all created beings, whether an- 
gels or men — a mystery over which the universe may 
ponder, wonder, and adore 

And now, with trembling awe, we proceed to notice, 

II. Some of the particulars of this great Mys- 
tery. 

1. " God was manifest in the flesh" That is, in 
the person of Jesus Christ we behold the great mys- 
tery of God incarnate — God and man in one person. 

Those who are opposed to the doctrine of the Deity, 



THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 109 



or Godhead, of Jesus Christ, have labored with un- 
tiring zeal, and taxed their wits to the utmost, to de- 
stroy the force of the argument, in its favor, drawn 
from this text. By an ingenious process of verbal 
criticism, they have sought to change the reading, and 
thus change the sense. But all their efforts have 
been unavailing, and the learning and research of 
the most approved critics and philologists, have pro- 
nounced against them ; and they have been con- 
strained to abandon the field. It certainly would be 
nonsense, if not ridiculous, to say that the Gospel was 
manifested in the flesh — or that " the mystery of god- 
liness" was manifested in the flesh. After the most 
critical investigation of the whole subject, and a care- 
ful examination of the various ancient manuscripts, it 
has been found that the original text, most unequivo- 
cally, sustains the present rendering, and we are en- 
titled to the full force of the argument— 6eo^ — " God, 
was manifest in the flesh." 

But why this war of words on this solitary clause ? 
We might suppose, from the zeal displayed in this 
controversy by our opponents, that this was the only 
verse in the Bible, by which the doctrine of the incar- 
nation of the Godhead, could be sustained. But when 
we come to examine the Holy Scriptures, throughout, 
we find that almost every page furnishes us with evi- 
dence bearing upon the same point. We can do no 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



more than to present a specimen. The very name 
of Messiah is an authoritative announcement from 
Heaven, of his nature. "His name shall be called 
Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 
Here, then, and not, as has been alleged, in human 
creeds, we have the origin of the doctrine of the in- 
carnation. Incarnation comes from in, and carnis, 
flesh — and literally signifies, in the flesh — as here, 
God with us; or in the text, God was manifest in the 
flesh. Again, John in the first chapter of his Gospel 
tells us in express terms, that " The Word ivas God" 
and proceeds to say, " The Word," (that is, God,) 
"was made flesh and dwelt among us." Here is 
proof positive, of the essential Deity of Christ Jesus, 
and also that he dwelt in the shrine of human flesh. 
But why multiply quotations, or adduce farther argu- 
ments, to prove a doctrine so clearly and explicitly 
revealed? We are willing to rest the argument here, 
feeling that we are environed round with the word of 
God, and that our citadel is invulnerable to all attacks 
from the combined forces of the enemies of this glo- 
rious mystery. 

But the doctrine of the text is, not only, that 
Jesus was God and man — the two distinct natures, 
but it also embraces the union of these two natures 
in one strange mysterious hypostasis, or person. 
Christ was not two persons, a God, and a man; but 



THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLES'ESS 



111 



one, God-man. It is only by this hvpostatical union, 
that we can understand how Messiah could be called 
both David's Sox, and David's Lord — This is not 
said of two persons, but one, else the argument the 
Saviour would deduce from it, amounts to nothing. 
The two natures being thus united in one person, we 
may learn- how it was, that "the Church of God 91 
was purchased " by his owx blood." Here was 
blood of infinite merit, capable of purchasing the sal- 
vation of the Church. But deny the hvpostatical 
union, and there is no propriety in calling the blood 
of Jesus, the blood of God. TTe shall not attempt to 
explain this great mystery — we find it here upon 
record, and can not go behind it; but while we 
admit that God could not die, yet, in the language 
of Mr. Watson, "there is a most important sense in 
which the blood of Christ was the blood of God." 
And hence we say in our Article, i; The Son, who 
is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, 
of one substance with the Father, took man's nature 
in the womb of the blessed virgin : so that two whole 
and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and 
manhood, were joined together in one person, never 
to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God and 
very man, who truly suffered, was crucified, dead and 
buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a 
sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for 



112 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



actual sins of men." Here the whole subject is fully, 
though concisely, presented — And as to the nature 
of Christ, we may simply say, it was of the nature 
of his parents — his mother was Mary — human — his 
Father was God — Divine — and we are left to won- 
der and adore, while we contemplate the great mys- 
tery. Jesus, the God of adoring angels, and "by 
whom the worlds were made," becomes a babe in 
a manger — a child in a stable ! He who bowled the 
worlds in his palm, and martialed the stars in their 
courses, sojourns upon earth, " a man of sorrows 
and acquainted with grief" — is " hungry" — "faint" 
and "weary." And while on his mission to earth, 
such was his poverty that "he had not where to lay 
his head" — and was seen to weep at the grave of 
his friends, and over the temples and towers of 
Jerusalem; yet, at the same time, he held in his 
hand " the seven stars and Orion," and millions of 
worlds were hanging on his arm — " His shoulder 
held up the universe, while Mary held up him." 
And still farther, "he humbled himself:" Although 
he gave life to the world, and he himself was Life, 
yet he submits to the ignominious death of the 
cross — His head, once crowned with the glory and 
grandeur of the Godhead, has placed upon it a 
thorny diadem — And though he made the springs 
of water, bathed the world in dewy showers, and 



THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 



113 



"measured the vast ocean in the hollow of his 
hand," yet hear it, inhospitable earth, when in 
his death throes, in all the agony of the cross, he 
said, " I thirst" he got nothing but "vinegar and 
gall " to drink ! Here are mysteries, far above all 
reason — reaching far beyond its comprehension. 

We can not attach too much importance to this 
doctrine. Without it, there is no hope for the world. 
By it alone we can preach "the Father's way to 
earth, and the sinner's way to heaven." By the union 
of two natures, two worlds are united — God is re- 
vealed to earth, and man is raised to heaven. Had 
the Saviour been a mere man, he never could have 
spanned the gulf which yawned betwixt God and a 
rebellious world of sinners lost — and had there been 
added an angelic, or super- angelic nature, and yet 
created, and finite, he still could not have met the 
claims of Divine justice with blood of infinite merit, 
nor lifted the world from its thraldom. Humanity 
must be redeemed in the same nature that sinned — 
in human nature — and the claims of Infinite Justice, 
must be met by a sacrifice of infinite merit — and 
hence a competent Saviour must be God, and then 
"because the children were partakers of flesh and 
blood, he must take part of the same," and thus be- 
come in one person, God-max. And here we have 
one who can span the awful gulf — With one arm he 
10 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



encircles the world, while with the other he lays hold 
of the throne of the Infinite, and bv the golden 
chain of his atonement, he binds the two together, 
and lifts fallen humanity up, and up. from all its 
ruin, to a companionship with angels, and with God, 
in happiness and heaven. And such is the glory 
of this mvsterv, the wonder of angels and of men. 
But, 

2. "He icas justified in the Spirit" — Or, more fife* 
erally— "by the Spirit: 9 

Here is another mystery. The child of Mary, 
"born in a stable, and cradled in a manger" — the 
reputed son of a carpenter^ coming out of Xazareth, 
and with neither " form nor comeliness ; and when he 
is seen, there is no beauty that we should desire 
him ' ? — claims to be the Messiah — the Sent of God — 
and lo ! the world is confounded to find that he is 
justified in his claims — justified by that Spirit which 
first moved upon Chaos, then garnished the world 
with beauty, and jeweled the heavens with stars. 

But when, and how. did the Spirit justify him in his 
claims ? At divers times, and in divers manners. 
All the predictions of the Prophets concerning Mes- 
siah, were indicted by the Holy Spirit; and their ful- 
fillment in Jesus, is a justification of his claims to the 
Messiahship. From the flashing light of the proto- 
promise, until the time when the Baptist pointed with 



THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 115 



his finger, and exclaimed, with a positive emphasis, 
" Behold the Lamb of God ! " All that was written 
by the holy Seers, were the sayings of the Spirit, and 
their exact fulfillment, is his infallible testimony. 

But see ! Yonder is an old man, well stricken in 
years, whose name is ■ Simeon — "just and devout, 
waiting for the consolation of Israel : " " It was re- 
vealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not 
see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ." He 
believes, and waits in joyous hope. Though aged 
and infirm, he makes his regular pilgrimages to the 
temple, not knowing what day his eyes might be 
greeted with a sight of the long looked-for Hope of 
Israel. His friends impatiently upbraid him, for what 
they are pleased to call his folly — Simeon, you are 
an old man, and in your decrepitude, you had much 
better rest upon your couch, and wait for death to 
sign your release, than to be making fanatical jour- 
neys to the temple, looking for Messiah. But the 
good old man responds in meekness, yet with all the 
omnipotence of faith — No, no, mine eyes shall yet 
see the salvation of the Lord, according to the testi- 
mony of the Spirit. And on the auspicious day, "he 
came by the Spirit into the temple" — I see him in 
his infirmity, and under the weight of many years, 
tottering up the steep acclivity of Zion, to the temple 
gate, his gray locks trembling in the morning breeze — 



116 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



he passes the gateway, and through the door, into the 
temple; and there, panting, and leaning upon his 
staff, he pauses a moment, to recover his breath — he 
lifts his eye, and lo ! the infant Jesus meets his gaze, 
nestling in his mother's bosom ; and suddenly he be- 
comes rejuvenated — forgets his infirmity — drops his 
staff — and rushing forward, with elastic step, and his 
countenance in a glow, and clasps him in his arms, 
and with holy rapture, exclaims, in a voice which sent 
a thrill throughout the temple, u Lord, now lettest 
thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy 
word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which 
thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a 
light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy 
people Israel.' 5 And with the Spirit still upon him, 
proceeded to make further disclosures as to the char- 
acter and mission of Messiah, 

And yonder, on the banks of the Jordan, where 
Jesus demands baptism at the hands of John, that he 
might " fulfill all righteousness," as he ascends the 
bank, after receiving the ordinance — look up, and be- 
hold a fluttering dove — you see "the Spirit of God 
descending like a dove, and lighting upon him : and 
lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved 
Son, in whom I am well pleased." Here is the testi- 
mony of the Spirit^ as clear as the sun in his meridian 
splendor. 



THE GHEAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 



117 



Go again, and take your stand by the cross, and 
survey the gory scenes of Calvary. Darkness over- 
spreads the heavens- — the elements are all in commo- 
tion- — the dead are disturbed in their graves, light- 
nings gleam and flash from angry clouds, and the 
thunders roar, and shake the world beneath your feet, 
while Jesus groans in agony, and utters his expiring 
cry ! But hark ! The voice of the Spirit is heard 
rising higher, and still higher above the awful din — 
it swells up heaven-high — and its echo shall roll on 
till the end of time — it announces with an emphasis 
which sends devils howling to their dens of despair, 
and raises a pealing shout through all the ranks of 
the armies of heaven — " This is the Son of God " — 
" the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world I " 

Again, we are told that although he was put to 
death in the flesh, he was " quickened by the Spirit." 
Thus his resurrection is attributed to the Spirit — and 
by this, he is "declared to be the Son of God with 
power" Now visit his sepulcher, and behold him 
"rising like a God" — in soothing accents, he calls to 
Mary, wipes away her tears, sends a thrill of rapture 
through the hearts of his hitherto desponding disci- 
ples, and hope springs immortal from the vaulted 
tomb. He comes — He comes — " traveling in the 
greatness of his strength" — a conquering hero, he 
comes out of his sepulcher, crying, "All Hail!" — 



118 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



Hell gives out a despairing shriek, and all Heaven 
responds in loud and rapturous acclaim, All Hail, 
while the Spirit cries, Behold the conquering '-'Lion 
of the tribe of Judah — the Son of God with power" — 
triumphing over death, hell, and the grave. 

But we reach the climax on the day of Pentecost. 
Jesus had said, in his valedictory to his disciples, 
though I go away, " I will not leave y ou comfort- 
less" — and "when the Comforter is come, whom I 
will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit 
of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall 
testify of me" And now they tarry at Jerusalem, 
and in faith and prayer, await his coming, to seal 
forever the truth and power of the Religion of 
Christ. And while they "were all with one accord 
in one place/' looking for the fulfillment of the 
promise — lo ! suddenly, " there came a sound from 
heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all 
the house where they were sitting. And there ap- 
peared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and 
it sat upon each of them : and they were all filled 
with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other 
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" Here the 
Spirit testifies directly to every heart, not only that 
Jesus arose from the dead, and ascended from earth, 
but also that he made a safe arrival in heaven, where 
he was hailed, in matchless triumph, as the world's 



THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 119 

Redeemer, and that he " ever liveth to make inter- 
cession for us." Here is demonstration. There is no 
longer room for doubt, or cavil, and infidelity is mad- 
ness. The clouds disperse, shadows flee away, and 
Christianity becomes a matter of consciousness — it is 
" Christ in us the hope of glory" — "joy in the Holy 
Ghost." The promise is that this Spirit shall abide 
with us " forever." The Church of God shall not be 
left comfortless. 

A witnessing Spirit, makes a " witnessing Church.'' 
And to-day, from the throne of his glory, Jesus sur- 
veys his wide-spread " sacramental host " upon earth, 
and pointing to them, he exclaims to an infidel world, 
Behold! these are my witnesses — they can tell the 
power of my resurrection, and from conscious, per- 
sonal experience, publish to all the world the truth and 
divinity of ray holy Religion. And, throughout this 
polvglotic earth, you may hear from lisping* infancy, 
to hoary age, in all the ranks of the militant host, 
this glad tribute, "Blessing, and honor, and glory, 
and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, 
and unto the Lamb, forever and ever" — and all 
Heaven responds. Amen ! 

Such is the mystery of his being justified by the 
Spirit. But, 

8. "He was seen of angels 7 ' — that is, He ?cas testi- 
fied unto by angels. 



120 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 

This is another great mystery. " He was despised 
and rejected of men — and V)e hid as it were our faces 
from him ; he was despised, and we esteemed him 
not," and the world treated him as a malefactor — yet 
" the Angels who excel in strength " — who raised their 
loud anthems of praise over the universe, as it arose 
from chaos, and who burn and blaze in ineffable bliss, 
amid all the splendors of the eternal throne — come 
on bending wing, all the way to earth, that they may 
minister unto Jesus, and show forth his glory, and are 
enraptured on their errand. 

When God brought his only-begotten into the 
world, he said, "And let all the angels of God worship 
him." Obedient to this command, they come in shin- 
ing throngs to do him homage — and on the night of 
his birth they preached, sung, and shouted, to the 
shepherds on the plains of Bethlehem. Hear their 
glad announcement : " Unto you is born this day, in 
the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the 
Lord'' — and "this glad tidings of great joy shall be 
to all people/' And kindling into holy ecstasy over 
the theme, before they spread their wings for an up- 
ward flight, they let earth know how Heaven shouts — 
and lo ! a concert of angel voices is heard in sweetest 
melody, saying, " Glory to God in the highest, and, on 
earth peace, good-will toward men!" What a shout 
this must have been — for "all the angels of God" 



THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 121 

took a part — it was a shout that echoed from world 
to world, and reverberated through the lofty dome of 
heaven. And no marvel that we, when evangelizing 
the same glorious truth, should kindle into rapture, 
and, with the angels, exclaim, " Glory to God in the 
highest." This is orthodoxy — Heaven taught it to 
earth — and we follow our angel preceptors, when in 
evangelical concert, in the congregation of his saints, 
we exclaim aloud, " Glory to God in the highest ! " 

Again; the angels are with him in his temptation, 
in the wilderness ; and in his agony in the garden, to 
"strengthen him" in his greatest sufferings; and to 
"honor the Son even as they honor the Father." 
When the drowsy disciples could not watch with him 
one hour, while on the cold ground he prays, and 
wrestles in agony, until " his sweat was as it were 
great drops of blood falling down to the ground " — 
he was not forgotten by the angels — but " there ap- 
peared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening 
him." And on the morning of his resurrection, when 
the Marys, in all their affectionate tenderness and 
tears, visited the sepulcher, with their spices, to em- 
balm his body; although they found the stone rolled 
away from the door of the sepulcher, so that they 
could enter in, yet they found not the body of Jesus. 
They now stand weeping in bitter disappointment, 

and perplexity ; when lo ! the angels appear before 
11 



122 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



them, "in shining garments," to make a more start- 
ling and glorious announcement, than that which 
kindled their rapture over the fields of Bethlehem — 
The women stand before them entranced, while they 
inquire "Why seek ye the living among the dead?" — 
and then announce the truth, the glorious truth, the 
key-stone of the world's redemption — "He is not 
here, but is risen." And thus from first to last, 
the angels have testified unto Jesus. They heralded 
his birth, announced his resurrection, and on his 
coronation day — the day of his ascension, 

" Cherubic legions guard him home, 
And shout him welcome to the skies." 

4. "He ivas preached unto the Gentiles" This is 
the grand mystery which had been hidden in God — 
that Christ was to be offered to the Gentiles, a Re- 
deemer and a Saviour — and they were to be made 
fellow-heirs with the Jews — as Christ was to be a 
"Light to lighten the Gentiles," as well as "the 
glory of his people Israel." And this was a mystery. 
The Gentiles had wandered far off, into all the dark- 
ness of a damning idolatry, and had sunken into the 
lowest depths of debasement, while broad and high, 
stood the middle wall of partition between them and 
the Jews, But it is destined to suffer a bombard- 
ment from the mysterious, and matchless power of 



THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 



123 



the gospel — The preaching of Christ crucified, levels 
the wall — razes it to its very foundation — sweep 
away every obstruction — and lo! "unto the Gentiles 
is granted repentance unto life." 

We adore this mystery, by which Christ is preached 
unto us — and infidelity stands abashed, at the wonder- 
working power of the Gospel. It wins its w r ay in 
triumph, proclaiming the universal fraternity of 
man — that "there is neither Greek nor Jew, circum- 
cision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond 
nor free, but Christ is all, and in all. 55 It is thus he 
is " preached unto the Gentiles," and hills and valleys 
echo, and reecho with his name. In almost every 
line of latitude and longitude, the heralds of the 
cross may be found, with streaming banners flutter- 
ing o'er them, preaching Jesus unto the Gentiles — 

" His standard-bearers, now 
To all the nations call: 
To Jesus' cross, ye nations, bow; 
He bore the cross for all." 

5. "He was believed on in the tvorld" Christ was 
not preached in vain — but was received by the world — 
believed on, as the Son of God— the only Saviour of 
sinners. And surely this is a great mystery, that one 
who preached that his kingdom was not of this world, 
and whose gospel was opposed to all the evil propensi- 
ties of the human heart — and who was, himself, put to 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



death as a malefactor, should be hailed with delight, 
by the world lying in wickedness, and be believed 
in, as "the only name under heaven, given among 
men, whereby we must be saved" — the Lord of Life 
and Glory. But it is even so. 

Millions have believed on him in the world, and 
found the gospel to be the power of God unto their 
salvation — who have gone over the flood, to join that 
"great multitude which no man can number," and 
who are " arrayed in white robes," before the throne 
of God ; and are now waving their palms, and shout- 
ing "Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the 
throne, and unto the Lamb." Millions more are now 
believing on him, who, in triumphal march, are on 
their way, to swell the ranks of the countless hosts 
of the redeemed — the numbers are increasing with 
every passing moment — and the day is rapidly ap- 
proaching, when " every knee shall bow, and every 
tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the 
glory of God the Father." All who believe on Jesus, 
are ambitious of seeing his " rising, spraading glory," 
and unite, in concert, to say, 

" Let every kindred, every tribe, 
On this terrestrial ball, 
To him all majesty ascribe, 
And crown him Lord of all. 7 ' 

6. "He was received up into glory." It is true, 



THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLIXESS. 125 



that this took place before he was "believed on in the 
world/' vet it is properly put last, as this was the 
crowning glory of his exaltation ; and leaves us with 
the eye of faith fixed upon him in the heavens, ever 
living to make intercession for us — -with all power in 
heaven and earth in his hands. 

But this is a great mystery. That his human 
nature, which he took of the Virgin Mary, should in 
a visible, and palpable manner, be taken up into 
glory — we can not comprehend it, and yet we believe, 
wonder, and adore. 

Go, take your stand upon Olivet — the Mount of 
Ascension— and see him take leave of his disciples, 
who are all grouped around him in sadness. He pro- 
nounces his farewell charge ; and stretching his hands 
out over the little cluster, he blesses them: — and 
while in the act of blessing, lo ! an escort arrives, in 
a chariot of clouds, to accompany him in his majestic 
flight to the throne of his Father — they salute him 
with, All Jiail to the King of glory! And, immedi- 
ately, gravitation loses all its power over him — his 
feet leave the mount, and he rises upward, amid the 
fleecy folds of the cloud; and the disciples stand 
gazing in wonder, until he is out of their sight. And 
still they stand ; and tears are streaming down their 
cheeks, as they gaze upward, as if to catch another 
glimpse of their ascending Lord. Now, high in mid- 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT, 



heaven, the convoy halts for a moment — Jesus — the 
sympathetic Jesus, looks back upon the heart-stricken 
group of his loved ones — their tears attract the atten- 
tion of an ascending God — and he says to Michael, 
and Gabriel, who lead the escort, go back to Olivet — 
go back, and tell my disciples, that I am coming 
again— that I will not remain away from them for- 
ever — that I am only going to fit up their mansions, 
and then will return to receive them unto myself, that 
where I am, there they may be also. And with light- 
ning speed, they descend, and stand before the be- 
reaved disciples, in their spotless white apparel, and 
say, a Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up 
into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up 
from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner 
as ye have seen him go into heaven.' 5 This was like 
balm to their bleeding hearts — they brush aw^ay their 
tears, and "return to Jerusalem with great joy" — 
while Michael and Gabriel speed their flight, to join 
the heavenly escort in the air. Onward, then, and 
upward speeds the throng, till worlds and suns are 
passed, and left far behind; and the " jasper walls, 
and gates of pearl," with all the splendors of the 
throne, appear in view: — and, as they approach, they 
cry, "Lift up your heads, ye gates; and be ye lift 
up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall 
come in." From the shining throng within, the ques- 



THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 127 



tion comes back, " Who is this King of glory ? " And 
the escort respond in loud acclaim, " The Lord, strong 
and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle" — and repeat 
their demand, " Lift up your heads, ye gates ; even 
lift them up, ye everlasting doors ; and the King of 
glory shall come in." But still from within, comes a 
voice again, "Who is this King of glory?" And 
now the response goes pealing through all the towers 
and domes of the City of God — "The Lord of hosts, 
he is the King of glory" — the illustrious conqueror 
of death, hell, and the grave — the world's Redeemer! 
And now the gates fly wide, and the doors are lifted 
up- — all heaven is in a glow of rapture, as the con- 
voy enters — and a pealing shout rings through all the 
shining ranks — All hail, thou Prince of glory! And 
as he reaches the throne, the redeemed host draw 
near, cast their glittering crowns at his feet, and ex- 
claim with thrilling rapture, " Unto him that loved 
us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 
and hath made us kings and joriests unto God and his 
Father; to him be glory and dominion, forever and 
ever" — "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to re- 
ceive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, 
and honor, and glory, and blessing." And all Heaven 
responds, Amen. 

Received up into glory ! Gone to get our mansions 
ready — and because he lives, we shall live also. He 



128 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



is coming for ns — he will not be content to send his 
angels, but he is coming himself, to receive us. 
stupendous love! And where he is, there we shall 
be also — be like him, and see him as he is. We are 
overwhelmed with wonder, at the great and glorious 
mystery of godliness, and standing upon the verge of 
the illimitable fields of God's unmeasured glory, we 
are constrained to close, as we commenced — exclaim- 
ing with Paul, " the depth of the riches, both of the 
wisdom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are 
his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" 



LIFE — DEATH — LIFE. 



129 



DISCOURSE V. 

L I F E— D E A T H — L I F E . 

" Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall 
they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew 
is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." — 
Isaiah xxvi: 19. 

The world is under the dominion of Death. All 
submit to his reign, and yet he is the universal dread 
of all the living. It seems to be a law of our being, 
in the present state of things, that we must die. 
Fearful thought! We love life, and pant for im- 
mortal being, and yet must die. All the past, have 
died, and the future can hope for no better fate. We 
live, and know that we must, under a law of our be- 
ing, meet death. But does this close the scene? Is 
this sad picture, the whole of man's destiny? It 
would be irrational not to start such questions as 
these, and make diligent search for a satisfactory an- 
swer. 

In all ages such questions have been propounded, 
and the millions of earth's palpitating hearts, have 



130 



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waited, with agonizing anxiety, for a satisfactory re- 
sponse. 

Nature has been interrogated; but her Oracle is 
dumb, and gives out no response: — Philosophy carries 
on a bold research, into the nature of cause and effect, 
and discourses most learnedly, upon the laws of mat- 
ter and of mind ; but when she returns, with all the 
pride of a stately step, she has no answer to the 
question, " If a man die, shall he live again?" The 
Xavigator goes out on Ins tour of discovery — passes 
straits, doubles capes — explores the wild wilderness 
of seas, and circumnavigates the globe ; but among 
all his vast discoveries, he has nothing which sheds 
light upon the darkness of the tomb. The Astrono- 
mer, fresh from his flight among suns and stars, re- 
galed with "the music of the spheres," discourses 
eloquently, about the countless millions of worlds, 
found floating through vast space — and talks of them 
as "the jewels of heaven, adorning the brow of 
night;" 7 yet he brings no answer to the world's aching 
heart, in relation to the future of man. In our gloom 
and sadness, we turn our eyes heavenward, and in- 
quire, "la there no hope?" We now look to the God 
of Revelation, our last and only hope, and ask, "If a 
man die, shall he live again?" Or, is death an eter- 
nal sleep? The "Lively Oracles of God" give out a 
clear and an unequivocal answer, and the world cries, 



LIFE— DEATH — LIFE. 



131 



Eureka: "Thy dead men shall live, together with 
my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye 
that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of 
herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." As 
the dew upon the herbs brings them forth from the 
bosom of the earth, all rejuvenated, to bloom in their 
original freshness and beauty, so an efficacious atone- 
ment, made by the Lord Jesus Christ, shall be "as 
the dew unto Israel, and he shall grow as the lily, 
and cast forth his roots as Lebanon" — this matchless 
deiv, shall even give 6 'life and immortality" to the dust 
of the tomb; and under its fructifying influence, thy 
dead men, together with my dead body, shall arise 
from their dusty beds — shall awake and sing, in all 
the raptures of a glorious immortality. 

Such is the response of heaven, in our text, and 
we now proceed to notice, 

I. The lif# of Man, as originally bequeathed 
by his Creator. 

In all our investigations upon this subject, we must 
look to the Bible alone, for light. All other accounts, 
whether ancient or modern, in relation to the origin 
and nature of man, are worse than ridiculous. To 
recite them, would cause an indignant blush to mantle 
every countenance, for the degrading ignorance of 
poor human nature, unenlightened by the Revelation 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



of God. Infidelity, herself, would fain be excused 
from the task of bringing them before the public 
gaze ; knowing that they would excite the contemptu- 
ous laugh of a child, and are unworthy of serious 
consideration. But the Bible account, commands the 
attention, and the admiration of the world. Here 
we have an unerring light ; and if guided by this, we 
know that our conclusions must be correct. 

The first observable fact in relation to man's origin, 
is, that his creation was the result of a consultation 
on the part of the Trinity: "And God said, let us 
make man in our image." This consultation, on the 
part of the Trinity, is peculiar to the creation of man, 
alone; and it very significantly indicates to us the 
importance of his being, and the relation which he 
sustained to the rest of creation. With the voice of 
his omnific energy, God simply said, "Let there be 
light, and there was light:" — the heavens and the 
earth, and all things else, were thus nfade, simply by 
the Creator's word. There was no counsel, in the 
Divine Mind, prior to his " bowling with his palm," 
this terrestrial ball; scooping out its rivers and its 
seas ; sprinkling all o'er its surface a rich variety of 
trees, plants, and flowers ; and sending abroad its 
numerous tribes of fish, birds, and beasts, to inhabit 
water, air, and earth. But, he spake and it was 
done — No counsel, prior to the utterance of that voice 



LIFE — DEATH — LIFE. 



133 



which kindled the twinkling stars, set worlds to roll- 
ing in their orbs, and hung out a luminous sun of 
refulgence, to be their light, and controlling center. 
But all this magnificence of creation rises up, at his 
bidding ', without previous counsel. But now, Man, 
rational, intelligent, complicated, God-like man, is to 
be made; and there is an apparent pause for counsel: 
"And God said, Let us make man in our image." 
This shows the importance of the link which he is to 
form, in the upward reaching chain of the vast crea- 
tion of God— he is to be the lord of creation, and 
have dominion over the works of God's hands. 

From the account furnished in the Bible, we learn 
that Man is complicated, or rather that he is a com- 
pound, of Body and Mind. These are wholly distinct 
in their nature, and essence, and both are necessary 
to constitute the man. The Body is formed of "the 
dust of the earth" — that is, of previously existing 
matter, and is essentially material. But after its per- 
fect formation, in all its parts, another distinct act of 
creation takes place, which is thus expressed: "God 
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man 
became a living sold." Here we have the creation of 
mind — which is not made of dust — not of previously 
existing matter, as was the body — but made of "Jeho- 
vah's breath!" thus showing forth its pure immateri- 
ality, and the highly sublimated nature of its essence. 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT 



Man, thus constituted, becomes the living representa- 
tive of two worlds — the world of matter, and the 
world of mind — and is admirably fitted for dominion. 

The Mind being Immaterial, Immortality is its nec- 
essary inheritance , bequeathed in its very nature. To 
deprive it of immortality, would amount to annihila- 
tion — an instance of which has never taken place in 
all the creation of God, not even of the smallest 
atom that floats in the sunbeam. Annihilation is un- 
philosophical, and impossible; hence, immortality is 
the necessary inheritance of immateriality. But it is 
far different with the Body. We have seen that it is 
material, and may, therefore, be deprived of life, 
without annihilation. Hence, in the original consti- 
tution of man, the immortality of his body was not a 
necessary inheritance, but only a circumstance; re- 
sulting entirely, from the use of the fruit of " the tree 
of life." Without this, the material organization, by 
its constant friction, would have worn out. What the 
properties of this fruit were, we know not, in every 
respect, but we may fairly conclude that it was God's 
appointed agency for supplying the wastes, and in 
some way perpetuating the immortality of the body. 
This is evident from the fact, that, even after the fall, 
to make good the curse of death, pronounced as the 
penalty of transgression, it was necessary to cut man 
off from all access to "the tree of life;" and hence 



LIFE — DEATH — LIFE. 



135 



man was not only driven out, but at the entrance into 
Eden were placed, " Cherubims, and a flaming sword, 
which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree 
of life." And the Lord God says, all this was done, 
"lest man should put forth his hand, and take also of 
the tree of life, and eat, and live forever:" and all 
this, after the fall. Thus you see, even in man's orig- 
inal constitution, the immortality of the body, was 
essentially different from that of the mind- — that it 
was a circumstance, resulting from the fruit of the 
tree of life. As long as he was sinless, he had free 
access to this tree, and was, therefore, perfectly free 
from disease, and secure from death. 

We have already, indirectly, referred to the dignity 
of his being — God gave this immortal being, dominion 
over all the works of his hands. To him was be- 
queathed, as an inheritance, a beautiful, fruitful, sin- 
less earth ; where " All was beauty to the eye, and 
music to the ear ; immortality breathed in every whis- 
pering zephyr, flowed in every limpid rill, and exhaled 
from every rising plant, and flower : " 

" Midst Eden's roses, bloomed perpetual spring 
In life's pure fount, health, dipt her halcyon wing." 

Thus situated, he must have possessed intellectual 
and moral powers, transcendently far above what we 
now behold. With perfect symmetry and health, in 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



all his material organization, and a symmetrical de- 
velopment of all his intellectual and moral powers, his 
capacity must have been far greater than it possibly 
can be in the present deranged state of the body, 
tending to decay and death, and the intellect be- 
clouded, and clogged by moral disorder. But, even 
now, we are often lost in wonder at the mighty 
achievements of mind, and can scarcely set limits to 
its grasp. What must have been its lofty flights and 
its deep research, in its original constitution, when it 
held converse with angels, cherubim and seraphim, 
and talked to God himself, with a " manifest destiny" 
before it, of glorifying God and enjoying him for- 
ever. 

But what would have been the result of continued 
obedience? We answer; Obedience would have se- 
cured to Man, physical, intellectual, and moral de- 
lights, in richest profusion, through a long life of 
Probation; and at its close, a rapturous translation to 
the third heavens — to the immediate presence of the 
Throne, the home of angels and of God. At first 
view, this may seem to be nothing more than a bold, 
speculative assumption, in regard to man's original 
destiny. But let us examine the position for a 
moment, in the light of reason and God's word. 
What has been the administration of God, in regard 
to another, and superior order of intelligences? "The 



LIFE — DEATH LIFE. 



137 



angels who excel in strength," whose residence is 
before the throne of God, must originally have been 
probationers — their " first estate " must have been 
probationary. There could be no fall, from a state 
which was not probationary; but some of the angels 
did fall, hence they must have been in a probationary 
state. But where ? Surely not in the present resi- 
dence of the holy angels ; as it is expressly declared, 
"nothing unholy or unclean can ever enter there." 
But that which is sinful, or unholy, did enter the 
former abode of angels, or else none of them would 
have fallen. Their former home, while in a proba- 
tionary state, then, must have been in some other 
world, suited to their probation. Those who sinned, 
were degraded to devils, and cast down to hell, while 
those who were faithful, and " kept their first estate," 
at the termination of their state of trial, were ex- 
alted to the immediate presence of the throne of 
God. And so with man. He was created a pro- 
bationer, else he never could have fallen. All pro- 
bations must have a close, and clearly imply a state 
of exaltation, to the faithful probationer. And now, 
had Adam been faithful, until his probation run out, 
what would have been a state of exaltation, from 
such a glorious inheritance, as that bequeathed to him 
in Eden? He had immortality, freedom from pain 

or disease, a home in a world of beauty, canopied 
12 



188 



DISCOURSES FROM TEE PtTLPIT. 



o'er by distant worlds — and held converse with 

heavenly visitors, and communion with the great 
God. Nothing short of a translation to the "Third 
Heavens,'"' to live in the immediate presence of the 
Throne, could have been an exaltation from such a 
Paradise. Hence our position, that, had it not been 
for sin, Adam, and his posterity, one after another, as 
their probations closed, would have been caught away, 
like Enoch or Elijah, without seeing death, to the 
raptures of Heaven, to the home of God, where they 
might behold the glory of the Eternal, culminating 
over the Throne of his Majesty, forever and ever. 

Such was the Life, bequeathed to man, in his orig- 
inal constitution — when first created in the image of 
God — "righteousness and true holiness." But from 
these delightful contemplations, we proceed to notice, 

II. The Death of Max, as the result of Six. 

Here we must read the dark chapter concerning 
our fall. Man's freedom to fall, was essential to his 
nature, as a rational. Intelligent being. To say that 
God could have made man without any liability to 
fall, is only to say that he might have made him a 
machine — a piece of mechanism, unendowed with 
rationality. Yolition — freedom of the will, is an 
essential characteristic of intelligent, rational, reason- 
ing mind. And as it is our glory, and happiness 



LIFE — DEATH — LIFE. 



139 



to have a rational nature, let us not complain of 
what is one of its essential endowments — the power 
of choice. 

Death is not a part of the Creator's plan. Man, 
rebellious man, has plucked down ruin upon his 
own head. By his own transgression, he has intro- 
duced into this otherwise beautiful world, natural 
and moral evil — " Death with all our woes," come 
from Sin — " By one man, sin entered into the world, 
and death, by sin" 

The Infidel scorner, with curling lip, and con- 
temptuous sneers, is wont to turn into ridicule, the 
first transgression, which w T as followed by such fatal 
consequences. In the language of the Apostle of 
modern Infidelity — " Adam ate an apple, and the 
whole world must be damned." We say nothing of 
the entire absence of logic, in all such attacks upon 
the Bible ; but, in this case, the moral principle in- 
volved, is entirely lost sight of, by the scoffer. In re- 
lation to the forbidden fruit, God said to Adam, "In 
the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." 
Now, while man had faith in his Maker's word, he 
would continue in loving obedience to his law. But 
the Serpent, or Satan, says, " In the day thou eatest 
thereof thou shalt not surely die, but ye shall be as 
gods." Here is a direct issue made, between the 
Creator, and the Serpent — between God, and the Devil. 



140 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



Before man can believe the Serpent, he must lose 
his faith in God — nay, he must charge his Maker 
with falsehood. First he lost his faith in God; this 
was followed with a loss of love; and then came the 
overt act of partaking of the forbidden fruit. Surely 
this was no trivial offense. Then, as now, "he that 
believeth not, shall be damned." Unbelief, was the 
first step in the world's ruin — and this was attended 
w T ith the Ipss of love — and the w T hole was com- 
pleted in the overt act — " Sin, when it is finished, 
bringeth forth death." Dark and damning rebel- 
lion! — to charge his Maker with falsehood, and at- 
tempt to dethrone the God of the universe, and usurp 
his place. It was this, that despoiled man's nature, 
left it a wreck, and induced the finger of God to 
trace the sentence, "Dust thou art, and unto dust 
thou shalt return" — It was this, that gave dominion 
to death, and scattered all o'er the world, the seeds 
of evil, which in every age have yielded such a rank 
crop of hemlock and nightshade — "apples of Sodom, 
and grapes of Gomorrah" — This led to the fatal 
banishment of man, from Eden's bowers, to eat his 
bread by the sweat of his brow, until he should re- 
turn unto the ground, from whence he was taken. 
Behold Adam and Eve, the guilty, despairing repre- 
sentatives of our race, at the command, and under 
the frown, of an angry God, retiring from the garden ! 



LIFE — DEATH — LITE. 



141 



Dark clouds are gathering over Eden, awful thunders 
roll in muttering curses, fearful lightnings gleam 
throughout the darkened concave — the clouds are 
closing in above, to shut out the last ray of hope 
from the guilty pair. They pause at the threshold, 
and look back, to take a farewell view of Eden ; and 
lo ! the frosts of death, have settled down upon all its 
bowers — the withering rose is frowning upon them, 
while the falling leaves, and fading boughs of the 
trees, pronounce them cursed. Thus, all is sadness 
and sorrow below, while fearful, frightful tempests 
howl above, and despair, dark despair, is folding its 
raven wings over a world's blighted hopes ! But 
hark! in the distance is heard a voice of sweetest 
melody — it rises and swells, louder and still louder, as 
if struggling for audience, above the awful din of the 
angrv heavens — it reaches its culminating hight: 
when lo ! the thunders are hushed, the clouds part 
asunder, and the sun of hope comes peering through 
the general gloom, and its rays fall upon a despair- 
ing world, while God says — " The seed of the woman 
shall bruise the serpent's head." Such was the 
potency of the great proto-promise — there is yet hope 
for the world — the bolts of vengeance are chained, 
the gathering storm is arrested, until the woman's 
conquering " Seed" shall try his matchless power. 
But still, one unalterable decree, has gone forth- 



142 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



" Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" 
Death, now becomes the universal conquering tyrant! 
And well has he maintained his dominion. All, of 
every age, of every nation, and of every condition, 
are brought under his leaden scepter — and as all were 
on a level, in their origin, all are brought to a com- 
mon level, under his dominion — from dust, to dust. 
The earth now becomes one vast charnel-house, bear- 
ing the fearful inscription, " Golgotha" The first 
obituary ever recorded, contains all that has ever 
been written since : " And Adam lived nine hundred 
and thirty years, and he died!" Here is a caption, 
placed upon the tombstone of earth, for the epitaph 
of the world. The patriarchs and the prophets are 
dead, and our fathers, where are they? Gone, all 
gone down to 

" The land of deepest shade, 

Unpierced by human thought, 
The dreary regions of the dead, 
Where all things are forgot." 

The dead are all around us — and each successive 
generation, treads upon the dust of its ancestors. 
The dust of our predecessors upon this busy theater, 
even now, vegetates in our gardens, forms the walls 
of our houses, and sometimes, paints the cheek of 
beauty — so that the millions of our babbling earth, 
are reveling upon the bones, and sculls, of those who 



LIFE — DEATH — LIFE. 



143 



have lived before them; while the earth which "rings 
hollow from below/' warns them that they are des- 
tined to the same fate. How sad to think, that the 
modern Cicero, or Demosthenes, as he moves in 
pompous pride, from his study to the court, and from 
the court to his study, walks upon the smoldering 
dust of him, from w T hom he borrows all his eloquence ; 
and the robed ecclesiastic, as he wends his way to the 
temple of God, treads upon the ashes of men, who, 
once by the magic wand of their eloquence, held 
thousands in raptures, and trembling senates on their 
lips. And such is earth, under the dominion of death. 
All, all who have lived before us, have died, and all 
who now live, must die — those forms of beauty must 
be disrobed, " see corruption, 7 ' and become food for 
worms — families must be broken, affection wounded, 
and the tear of fond remembrance, fall upon the graves 
of departed loved ones — aye, and the weeping mourn- 
ers, in their turn, must lie down in death. Mourn- 
fully sad picture ! Even now the weeds of mourning 
are all around us, and there is not an eye that has 
not already been dimmed with tears, nor a heart that 
has not swelled with grief, under sad and sore be- 
reavements. 

With the dead, and the dying, all around us, and 
we, ourselves, dying, how truly may it be said, that, 
"In the midst of life we are in death" — and the 



144 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



smallest tiling at God's command, may at any moment 
deprive us of life, and thus close our mortal career, 
forever. And thus stands a dying world, weeping in 
sadness over a world of graves, all doomed to the 
same inevitable fate. Hence the position with which 
we set out. Death is an evil, and it is rational, it is 
philosophical, to inquire what is beyond? Is death 
an eternal sleep? Must the sacred dust forever re- 
main inanimate in the tomb? Or shall man live 
again ? Shall the loved dust of our dear friends, in 
company with ours, come out of the grave, to bloom 
in the vigor of immortal life ? What says the text ? 
"Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead 
body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell 
in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the 
earth shall cast out the dead." And this brings us 
to notice, 

III. The Life of Man, purchased and be- 
queathed by the Lord Jesus Christ. 

A despairing world, peopled with the dead, and the 
dying, finding not even a ray of hope in all the lights 
of earth-horn philosophy ; and while an impenetrable 
gloom settles down upon the tombs of the dead, turns 
to the " Lively Oracles of God," and there reads, 
"Although a man die, he shall live again!" 44 Thy 
dead men shall live ! " Wondrous truth ! This an- 



LIFE — DEATH — LIFE. 



145 



nouncement, sheds a halo of glory around the brows 
of the buried dead, and lights up with hope, the bo- 
soms of the dying. 

Although this truth is too mighty for human rea- 
son, rising far above its reach, yet it is not contrary 
to reason. And we are told how, and by what in- 
strumentality, the dead shall be made to live again. 
It is to be by matchless dew — by the efficacious 
power of the atonement, made by the Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

The herbs and plants decay, under the blighting 
frosts of winter; but with the returning warmth of 
the sun, and under the fructifying influence of the 
dew, they come forth again from the earth, in all 
their blooming beauty. And so shall it be with our 
dead bodies — they decay under the frosts of death, 
and sink into the grave ; but Christ, our Immortal 
Sun of Righteousness, shines with undying radiance 
upon the darkness of the grave, and by the life-giving 
power of the atonement, causes those who "dwell in 
dust," to "awake and sing," in all the blooming beauty 
of an immortal life — "For thy dew, is as the dew of 
herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." 

There are two branches to this subject — the life of 
the soul, and the life of the body. 

1. The soul is ransomed from the death of sin. 

And when thus ransomed, and saved, all fear of death 
13 



146 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



is destroyed, and the soul becomes, through Jesus, a 
heroic conqueror of the "king of terrors. " The love 
of God in the soul, draws the sting of death, and 
robs him of ail his terror. We all know that love, 
has in itself, a magic power: Even in an inferior 
sense, it has often destroyed the fear of death — For 
example, the love of fame, or the love of country. 
What did Leonidas care for death, when w T ith heroic 
daring, he led on his noble patriot band, through the 
straits of Thermopylae? What did Hannibal care for 
death, when with unterrified boldness, never excelled, 
he led on his noble army, up the rugged steeps, and 
craggy hights, until they hung like a martial cloud 
on the very eave-droppings of heaven, in scaling the 
Alps? Or Alexander, when his ambition led him to 
wave his scepter over a conquered world? In all 
these, and similar cases, under circumstances of great 
interest and excitement, death, for the time being, is 
disrobed of all his terrors. And now, if love, in 
this inferior sense, can exert such an amazing power, 
what may we not expect from Divine Love — the Love 
of God in the soul? No marvel that it should give 
such heroism to the Christian, in the dying hour. 
With this " love of God shed abroad in the heart, by 
the Holy Ghost which is given unto us," even the 
delicate female, who would faint at the sight of run- 
ning blood, can meet the cruel, heartless monster, 



LIFE — DEATH — LIFE. 



147 



without alarm; and while he brandishes his dart, she 
raises her song of triumph, 

"Come, welcome death, thou end of fears, 
I am prepared to die:" 

Thou canst only release me from earth, and that 
shall introduce me to the glories of the heavenly 
world — for, " to be absent from the body, is to be 
present with the Lord" — and "my flesh shall rest in 
hope," until Jesus shall call it forth, to immortality 
and eternal life. Millions have thus triumphed over 
death, through the omnipotence of the love of Jesus. 

It is true, that death will make men tremble, if they 
are called to meet him in their sins. It is sin that 
plants the thorn in the dying pillow, clothes death in 
terror, and imparts the fearful sting. Take the case 
of Belshazzar — the impious, God-provoking Belshaz- 
zar. Not satisfied with his cruel oppression of Israel, 
with his lords and his nobles, in a night of pompous 
revelry — dissipation, debauchery, and crime, he with 
sacrilegious hand, and provoking impiety, takes the 
vessels of the Lord's house, and prostitutes them to 
the bacchanalian rites of his idol gods. When God, 
in his righteous indignation, sends a mysterious hand, 
which traces " Mens, mene, tekel, upharsin" upon 
his palace walls. And suddenly Belshazzar is seized 
with trembling and alarm ! But why so ? As yet 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



he is ignorant of the import of the writing; and why 
should not his vanity prompt him to say, "See how 
my gods are honoring me, for my devotions to them, 
by tracing their testimonials on my gorgeous palace ?" 
No, no ! A guilty conscience, whose thunder tones 
could not be hushed, by the sounds of drunken 
revelry, and uproarious mirth all around him, spoke 
out, with awful severity ; and conscious of his guilt, 
the very moment he cast the bewildered gaze of the 
inebriate's eye, upon that armless hand, tracing his 
damnation on the wall, he begins to quake with 
fear — his knees smite together, and he stands all 
horror-stricken, and aghast, to hear his fearful doom, 
in the interpretation of the sentence, as given by the 
Prophet of God. And that very night, the king was 
slain, with all his accumulated crimes upon his 
head. And such is death to the sinner. The guilty 
conscience, when death approaches, will be heard, 
and a Belshazzar trembling, seizes the victim; and 
while struggling with the icy monster, he is horror- 
stricken, to hear a voice proclaiming, 

"Thy jlesh (perhaps thy greatest care) 
Shall into dust consume, 
But, ah ! destruction stops not there, 
Sin, kills beyond the tomb." 

What a contrast between such a scene as this, and 
the victorious triumph of the dying saint! With the 



LIFE— DEATH — LIFE. 



149 



religion of Jesus, which is the love of God in the 
soul, he interrogates death, even when his icy breath 
is upon him, u O death, where is thy sting; grave, 
where is thy victory?" And then triumphantly ex- 
claims, " Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, 
through our Lord Jesus Christ:" — The star of his 
hope, culminates over his dying couch, and from " the 
bliss of dying," he passes, a conqueror crowned, into 
the raptures of immortal life in Heaven. Such is the 
life of the soul, from the death of sin— a life pur- 
chased and bequeathed, by the Lord Jesus Christ. 

2. But our dead bodies are to live again— a life from 
the tomb. The victory shall be complete; for "the 
earth shall cast out the dead" This is purely a doc- 
trine of Divine Revelation — it is found alone in the 
Bible. And from this we may infer that it comes 
from God, and is, therefore, true. The human mind, 
unaided human reason, could never originate the idea 
of a resurrection of the human body. The transmi- 
gration of souls, and a thousand like phantasies, have 
been originated, in the wild and phrensied dreams of 
the ancients; but no man ever dreamed of the resur- 
rection of the human body, until God revealed it to 
the world. And here we have demonstration that 
the Bible is a Revelation from the Mind of the Infi- 
nite, and that this doctrine is true. 

Admit the truth of the Bible, and you admit the 



150 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



certainty of the resurrection. The Infidel, in his 
blind incredulity, would evade the force of all our 
arguments, by urging as an objection, that the doc- 
trine is mysterious — beyond our comprehension, and 
therefore not to be believed. True, it is mysterious ; 
but there is mystery all around; we, ourselves, are a 
mystery, and yet we believe in our own existence; 
there is a mystery in vegetation, and yet we believe 
the process goes on; we do not think of denying the 
identity of the blushing rose, simply because we can 
not comprehend the process by which it unfolds its 
petals, and breathes its fragrance on the air. And 
now when God says, " Thy dead men shall live, to- 
gether with my dead body shall they arise," although 
shrouded in mystery, we believe, wonder, and adore. 

Enoch, the seventh man from Adam, prophesied of 
the resurrection — Job, one of the most ancient of 
WTiters, while the clouds of adversity were closing in 
all around him, and the grave opened before him, ex- 
claimed in all the confidence of faith, "I know that 
my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the 
latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin, 
worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh, shall I see 
God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes 
shall behold, and not another" — David, the Monarch 
Minstrel, said and sung, "I shall be satisfied, when I 
awake in thy likeness " — and Daniel, on the banks of 



LIFE — DEATH — LIFE. 



151 



Chebar, in vision, saw the day when all they " that 
are in their graves shall arise, some to life, and some 
to shame and everlasting contempt." But upon this 
point, as well as every other, "Life and Immortality" 
are more fully "brought to light, by the Gospel." 
Jesus says, "The hour is coming, in the which, all 
that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall 
come forth." And when Martha mourned for her 
buried brother, she still had faith in the resurrection, 
and says to Jesus, "I know that he shall rise again, 
in the resurrection at the last day." St. Paul the log- 
ical, after stating in the most unequivocal terms, that 
" there shall be a resurrection of the just and the un- 
just," enters upon the argument fully, and from the 
resurrection of Christ, demonstrates the resurrection 
of our bodies — meets the objector at every point, and 
comes out a triumphant victor. But finally, John, 
in Apocalyptic vision, saw the reality, and thus re- 
cords what he saw : "I saw the dead, small and great, 
stand before God: and the sea gave up the dead 
which were in it ; and death and hell delivered up the 
dead which were in them." We will not multiply 
quotations upon a subject so clearly stated, but will 
proceed with our theme. 

Do you ask me to pause, while you inquire how 
God can reanimate our dead bodies — raise our dry 
bones, and gather our scattered dust, from the vege- 



152 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



tating fields, from palace walls, or from rolling seas? 
No, no, we can pause for no such blasphemous pur- 
pose. What, would you call in question the ability 
of the Infinite — or challenge the power of the Great 
Jehovah? He who spoke matter into existence, from 
nothing — who bowled the worlds in his palm, and 
marshaled the stars — in a word, the God who first 
formed the human body from the dust of the earth, 
and gave it life, surely can, by the same power, pre- 
serve its identity, and in his own good time, bring it 
up from the grave, in life immortal. You behold yon 
eccentric comet, running, apparently without law, 
recklessly through the heavens — on, and on, far be- 
yond the orb of Saturn, it goes, as if determined 
to escape into the boundless regions of unoccupied 
space. But all at once, at the bidding of God, it 
wheels in its course, and goes careering onward in 
the heavens, without interfering with any member of 
God's family of worlds. Now, that God who holds 
the reins of the comet, and guides it through the 
heavens, in its harmless blaze, can, and, will, by the 
same infinite power, bring up the dead, from earth 
and ocean, to live forever. And hence, we find this 
blessed truth, explicitly declared and illustrated, in 
every variety of proposition, promise, and prophecy; 
and clearer still, it is actually exemplified, and made 
sure, by the resurrection of Christ, who is "the first 



LIFE— DEATH — LIFE. 



153 



fruits" from the great harvest-field of death — the 
first who arose to die no more. And now when we 
take our stand at the tomb of Jesus, and see him 
rising in immortal vigor, and leading Death a captive, 
chained to his chariot wheels ; or on Olivet, the mount 
of ascension, and see him surrounded by an angel 
convoy, and robed in clouds, going far into the 
heavens, shouting, "I am the resurrection and 
the life," we can no longer doubt the doctrine of 
the resurrection of the dead. 

We are here met with a subtile philosophy, and 
" opposition of science, falsely so called;" and are 
told that it is unphilosophical, if not impossible, for 
God to raise the same body which dies — as it has 
been perpetually changing, from the cradle to the 
grave: but that possibly he may, from an incorrupti- 
ble germ, in w^hich alone the identity of the body con- 
sists, by some process of vegetation, or by a new 
creation, raise up a body, for the habitation of the 
spirit. But all this is at war with the positive declar- 
ations of the unerring word of God. It is not a 
body, that is to grow, from a germ, but the body to 
be raised — not a new creation, but a resurrection — not 
from an incorruptible germ, but from the body " sown 
in corruption" And it is the same body which dies, 
that shall rise again — a material body. To be sure it 
is called "a spiritual body" but this can only mean 



154 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 

that it shall be so refined and purified, as to fit it for 
the heavenly state. The substance to be raised, is 
that which is buried, and as nothing is buried but 
matter, so nothing but matter shall be raised — and 
hence with Job, in a material body, highly sublimated 
and refined — or, " in our flesh, we shall see God." 

To the stoical Philosopher, in the coolness of his 
study, this may seem to be dignifying, or estimating 
matter, beyond its true value. And we are often told 
that the body is valueless, and that Christianity is in- 
tended alone to benefit the soul of man. But in spite 
of our philosophy, the heart will respond to all we 
have said. And Jesus loved, not only our souls, but 
also our bodies, and passed through the grave, leav- 
ing in it "a long perfume," and the pledge of a glo- 
rious resurrection of our bodies. We all feel that 
there is something sacred, about the dust of the dead, 
and hence our care about the interment, and resting- 
place of our kindred. When you lay your hand 
upon the pallid brow, and take a farewell view of your 
father, lying cold in death, you can not feel that his 
body is common dust. Or when you kiss the cold 
cheek of your sainted mother, shrouded in her coffin, 
and the tears of affection fall like rain, upon her 
grave-clothes, there is something which tells you, 
Mother's body is sacred dust. Or the mother, who 
presses her warm lips to the clay-cold form of her 



LIFE — DEATH — LIFE. 



155 



cherub babe, which has just fluttered out of her arms, 
and escaped from her bosom ; with all a mothers love, 
feels that she kisses sacred dust — and commits to 
mother earth, that which is precious beyond all price. 
0, we will love the dead, and with affectionate re- 
membrance, we linger around their resting place, as 
a place of the most precious depository. And like 
Abraham, we desire to bury our family together, or 
side by side, and finally to rest by their side our- 
selves. And we would not have our graves forgot- 
ten. If no marble monument, is to mark the spot, 
or plainer slab, to be inscribed with our names, we 
would have the hand of affection plant a bush, or a 
shrub, to bloom over the spot, and tell our loved ones 
left behind, where they may go, to weep over kindred 
dust. Such is the philosophy of the human heart, and 
it comports with the teachings of Christianity. But 
our fond hopes of having our graves remembered, 
may be disappointed, and all marks of our resting 
place may be removed, yet we may sing in joyous 
triumph, 

"God my Redeemer lives, 
And ever from the skies 
Looks down, and watches all my dust, 
Till he shall bid it rise." 

And hence it is, when Death approaches the good 
man, and says ? Behold my prison house! thou art 



156 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



doomed to this damp vault — "the coffin, earth, and 
winding-sheet 57 shall be thy habiliments, in a long, 
long slumber, under my dominion; he responds, 
Death, I see your prison-house, but approach it with- 
out fear — you may put me in, and close the door, but 
you can't lock it; you have lost your key — my con* 
quering Jesus wrested it from you, on the morning of 
his resurrection, and has gone with it into heavens, 
shouting, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and 
behold I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the 
keys of hell and of death" — and at his bidding, I shall 
leave the grave, to inherit immortal life, where the 
Captain of my salvation has gone. 

To guard all our points, it is proper that we should 
say, that although the resurrection shall be universal — 
all shall come forth, yet each shall arise in his own 
proper character, such as he has formed in probation; 
and his future destiny shall be fixed accordingly. 
"They that have done good, shall come forth to the 
resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, to 
the resurrection of damnation." And John tells us, 
that " The dead were judged out of the things written 
in the books, according to their works." "And who- 
soever was not found written in the book of life, was 
cast into the lake of fire." We have the finale of the 
whole, in the language of our final Judge: "These 
shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the 



LIFE — DEATH — LIFE. 



157 



righteous into life eternal." God, and the society of 
heaven, can not be enjoyed without a moral fitness. 
Each individual of Adam's family shall, at the awful 
voice of God, as by a great principle of moral attrac- 
tion, be drawn to their appropriate place, according 
to their moral character, and thus 

=■ " be with the damned cast out, 

Or numbered with the blest." 

Now let all the pious, bereft of friends — who mourn 
for loved ones gone — and who love to linger under 
the weeping-willow, which overhangs the grave of 
buried affection, remember that death's Conqueror 
has been in the grave before them — that he has 

11 Blest the graves of all his saints," 

and "would not have you sorrow, even as those who 
have no hope, knowing that they who sleep in Jesus, 
will God bring with him." They shall see their 
friends again, when at the voice of the Son of God, 
they shall 

" Break their tombs, with sweet surprise, 
And in their Saviour's image rise." 

blissful day of happy reunion, in all the bliss of 
an endless heaven! 

Such is the response of Heaven's Oracle, to the 
inquiry, "If a man die, shall he live again?" And 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT 



now, although death is still an evil, we find that in 
Christ, there is a remedy. Wherever the flying angel 
goes to preach the everlasting gospel, he scatters a 
fragrance upon the tomb, and proclaims that 

11 Earth hath no sorrows, 
That Heaven can not cure." 

And in most striking contrast, we are led to view 
the tomb of nature, and the tomb of the conquering 
Jesus, who has announced his purpose to "swallow 
up death in victory."' In the tomb of nature, all is 
frailty and corruption; while in the tomb of Jesus, all 
is immortal strength and deliverance. In the tomb 
of nature, we see the penalty of sin — but in the tomb 
of Jesus, we behold our deliverance from sin and cor- 
ruption. On the tomb of nature, the inscription reads, 
"Dust to Dust" — while on the tomb of Jesus, we read, 
in living letters of flame, " / am the resurrection and 
the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, 
yet shall he live, and he that liveth, and believeth on 
me, shall never die" 

Thus flashes the light of Heaven on the darkness 
of death, rendering it all luminous with the glory of 
the resurrection. Xo longer then, in tears of sad- 
ness, weep over the graves of kindred gone, nor 
shrink in horror from the opening tomb. But, by the 
eye of faith, look forward to the day of triumph over 



LIFE — DEATH — LIFE. 



159 



death, and a reunion with friends in the city of God, 
•where "there shall be no more death." The atone- 
ment of Jesus has bedewed the earth, and death's 
Conqueror, must reign, until, the last enemy is put 
under his feet; and his ransomed host shall awake 
from their dusty beds, and "with songs and everlast- 
ing joys upon their heads," shall fly up to meet him 
in the air. And then shall he see of the travail of 
his soul, and be satisfied — having brought many sons 
unto glory. He shall then wipe away all tears from 
their eyes, lead them to fountains of living water, and 
crown them heirs of an endless heaven. May we, 
one and all, "have a part in the first resurrection," 
and crowned and throned, with the redeemed of God, 
out of every nation, enjoy the raptures of Heaven — 
the home of angels and of God ! Amen. 



160 DISCOURSES FROM THE PT7LPTT. 



DISCOURSE VI. 

THE TEARS OF JESUS. 

A Funeral Discourse, delivered in the Chapel of the University, 
on the occasion of the death of Charles S. Miller, a member 

of the Senior Class. 

"Jesus wept." — St. John xi: 35. 

We live to die ! " In the midst of life we are in 
death!'' There is no exemption from one common 
lot. Even those most distinguished in character, and 
most useful in their lives, have all passed away, with 
the generations to which they belonged. And even 
when " the spirit is life, because of righteousness, the 
body is dead, because of sin." Religion does much 
for us, but it does not save us from the stroke of 
mortality. By its power, the point may be blunted, 
but the dart is not averted. Indeed it would be in- 
consistent with a state of trial, to reverse the sen- 
tence of death, so far as the body is concerned, and 
hence it continues, in all its force. 

Death has been among us. In an unexpected hour, 



THE TEARS OF JESUS. 



161 



our circle has been invaded by the King of Terrors, 
and we have "zvept" And now, in compliance with 
the request of the Senior Class, the more immediate 
and intimate friends and associates of the deceased, 
I appear before you, for the purpose of impressing 
upon your minds, the solemn lessons which Divine 
Providence intends to teach, by all such mournful 
events. 

The words of the text simply announce a fact — 
"Jesus wept!" Yet, when viewed in connection with 
a remarkable history, with which you are all familiar, 
they bring before us, some of the finest traits in the 
character of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

L Some of the traits of character brought to 

VIEW BY THE TEARS OF JESUS. 

Jesus was a perfect man — and as such, our model — - 
our Exemplar. That he possessed humanity in its 
perfection, is not only proven by the text itself, but 
is taught most clearly, in other passages. It was as 
a man, that "He grew in wisdom and in stature; 
and in favor with God and man." "Concerning the 
flesh, he was our brother ; possessing the soul, body, 
and spirit of a man, and partaking of all the inno- 
cent infirmities of human nature." Hence it is said 
that he "hungered," "thirsted," was "weary," and 
"wept." Although immaculate, yet he was "born of 
14 



162 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



a woman" — "made in the fashion of a man" — "made 
under the law" — "took upon him the form of a serv- 
ant " — "and was tempted in ail points like as we are, 
and yet without sin." Although our position here, is 
admitted by us all, yet we are ever prone to overlook 
its practical bearing, and are wont only to contem- 
plate Christ in his Deity — as far removed from human 
nature — because we are assured that, "in him dwelt 
all the fullness of the Godhead bodilv." But we 
would have you, to-day, to contemplate his most 
beautiful and striking traits of character, as a man — 
as our model man. 

1. We here behold, a manifestation of true and gen- 
uine Friendship. 

Friendship, is an affection which belongs to human- 
ity — is an implanted principle in our nature. The 
absence of it, argues either a defect, or a perversion 
of our nature. The more refined and perfect the na- 
ture, the stronger this affection ; and hence the strik- 
ing manifestation of it, in the perfect man, Christ 
Jesus. Jesus had his friends, recognized as such, 
in contradistinction to others, even of his disciples. 
And hence, we hear mention made of " that disciple 
whom Jesus loved;" and in the history before us, he 
does not hesitate to call Lazarus his friend — one for 
whom he entertained the endearing affection of friend- 
ship. By a friend, we mean one whom we love, and 



THE TEARS OF JESUS. 



163 



esteem, and to whom we impart our minds, or thoughts, 
more familiarly than to others, from our confidence 
in his integrity and good-will toward us. Thus, Jon- 
athan and David were confiding friends, even so much 
so, that " their hearts were knit together/' Solomon 
gives us some of the qualities of a true friend. He 
says, "A friend loveth at all times," in adversity as 
well as in prosperity; and that u there is a friend, 
that sticketh closer than a brother," and is more 
hearty in the performance of all friendly offices. 
" Ointment and perfume, rejoice the heart, so does 
the sweetness of a man's friend, by hearty counsel" — 
such counsel as comes welling up in the warm heart 
of friendship, and is expressed in love. Again, "As 
iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the coun- 
tenance of his friend." The company and conversa- 
tion of a friend, are reviving to the drooping and 
downcast spirit, awaken gladness in the heart, which 
will not fail to show itself in a cheerful countenance. 
Such is Friendship. 

The world, by its cold neglect, desertion, and self- 
ishness, has taught the poet to sing, in his disap- 
pointment, 

u O what is Friendship but a name, 
A charm that lulls to sleep, 
A shade that follows wealth or fame, 
And leaves the wretch to weep?" 



164 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



Still, there are true hearts — there is yet a human- 
ity not wholly perverted, and consequently, there is 
such a thing as true friendship. Without it, how 
dark and dreary would be this world ! Only assure 
me that Friendship has forever fled the earth, and I 
will "long for the wings of a dove, to fly away" in 
search of that "sun-bright clime," where the friend- 
ship of heaven, is as abiding as immortality. But we 
are not yet driven to this necessity. Friendship, was 
a trait in the character of Jesus our pattern, and it 
still nestles in the bosoms of the good and the true, 
on earth. 

It is frequently said that college attachments, and 
friendships, are stronger, and probably more lasting, 
than those of any other period in life. And there 
is a philosophy in this. Here, youthful minds are 
brought together, uncontaminated by contact with a 
rude and selfish world. They are engaged in the 
same pursuits, in which they hold daily communion; 
and those pursuits are all elevating and ennobling. 
Daily drinking at the same fountain, their hearts 
blend together in closest union — living and walking 
for years together, in the same classic groves, true 
hearts will be attracted toward each other, and an 
abiding friendship is the result. You know some- 
thing of this, from experience. You all have your 
friends, the intimate and confiding associates of your 



THE TEARS OF JESUS. 



165 



youth. You have confidence in their integrity, and 
abiding good-will, toward you, which burns with a 
quenchless ardor, and they have become to you, like 
unto a second self — and you would not live without 
knowing that you had a home in their hearts. I am 
afraid of % man who is a stranger to this affection, 
and would shun his society as I would that of a 
leper. But we all feel the warm glow and attractive 
power, of the true heart of friendship, and hail an 
association with friends, an oasis, in the desert of life. 

Here, then, we have one of the most lovely traits, 
in the character of the Man Christ J esus, brought out 
for our imitation. 

2. Another lovely trait is that of sympathy. This, 
too, is an implanted principle, and is exhibited in the 
character of Jesus. A particular friend was dead; 
the soul of Jesus is troubled, and he mingles his 
sacred tears, with those of the afflicted relatives. A 
learned commentator observes, that, "Some of the 
ruthless ancients, improperly styled fathers of the 
Church, thought that weeping was a degradation of 
the character of Christ;" and therefore sought to ex- 
punge from the sacred text, all allusions to the Sav- 
iour's tears. But he holds that our text, though the 
least verse in the Bible, is inferior to none — and cer- 
tainly it brings out, one of the most lovely traits in 
the character of perfect humanity — tenderness and 



166 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



sympathy. In circumstances like those in which Jesus 
wept, tears, instead of being an unmanly weakness, 
should be called, as they have been by a Roman 
poet — " Nostri pars optima sensus" — the most amia- 
ble parts of the constitution of human nature. They 
seem to have been provided by the Author of our 
being, that we might give to each other, a sensible 
token of commiseration and affection — one which can 
not be so easily counterfeited, as fond words. And 
while they testify as to the existence of our ten- 
der passions, they, at the same time, ease, and un- 
load the heart, when almost ready to sink under the 
weighty pressure. Thus we see, that the tender pas- 
sions were implanted in our nature, to answer a valu- 
able purpose. The man, then, who has them not, 
and glories in their absence from his bosom — boasts 
that he never weeps — glories in his own shame. 

Some men, either from fierceness, or indolence of 
constitutional temperament, seem to despise all those 
whom they see under the influence of the tender pas- 
sions. They tell us that tears, are a mark of weak- 
ness, and that a man, ought to have more philosophy. 
Away with all such twaddle. The greatest men of 
earth — even men of the most philosophic turn of 
mind, have been impulsive, and have often been moved 
to tears. Xerxes, with his steel-clad millions around 
him, wept at the bare thought of the great harvest 



THE TEAKS OF JESUS. 



167 



of death, which greeted his vision, on the plains below 
him. And Napoleon, who has been called " the mod- 
ern Caesar/' even with the iron crown of France upon 
his brow, wept at the moans of an affectionate dog, by 
the side of his dying master, on the field of battle. 
Not only Xerxes, and Napoleon, but also Abraham 
and Joseph, David and Jonathan, Hezekiah and Jere- 
miah, were all men of tender passions, and tears. 
But we must not fail to mention the heroic Paul. He 
could, with undaunted courage, face imprisonment, and 
death itself, for the cause of truth and goodness — 
even from his prison-cell, he could calmly and logic- 
ally contend for "the faith once delivered to the 
saints;" and finally meet his cruel martyrdom, with- 
out the quivering of a muscle, or the shuddering of a 
nerve; yet he was not a stranger to the tender pas- 
sions, and the frequent gush of overflowing tears'* 
But, behold, a greater than Paul is here ! Let earth 
and heaven hear it, "Jesus wept !" He had all the 
passions, in their most harmonious order — perfect 
symmetry of soul. And we conclude, that whatever 
would be a fit occasion for his tears, is one of which 
we should not be ashamed. Here, it was the death 
of a pious friend. He is approaching the grave of 
his friend Lazarus, of Bethany. But we all know 
this tender story too well, to need a large rehearsal. 
We notice, 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



II. Ox WHAT ACCOUNTS OUR LORD WEPT. 

1. He was on a visit to a grave! And this fact 
alone, might awaken some ■ meltings of compassion. 
Before him lav a new trophy of death — another speci- 
men of his universal triumph — and a specimen, well 
calculated to awaken the tender passions. Lazarus 
was a young man, the staff and stay of Martha and 
Mary, his devoted sisters. But this manly form, at 
an interesting age, was stricken down; and disrobed 
of its vigor and beauty — " withering as the grass, and 
fading as the flower " — it sinks into corruption ; and 
even the sisters, with all their fond affection, are wont 
to bury him out of their sight ! Such a scene as this, 
was enough to melt any heart not wholly sordid, or 
entirely destitute of the tender passions. 

You, too, like Jesus, have been to the grave — the 
new-made grave. You have seen a new trophy of 
death. And as in the case of Lazarus, he was a 
young man; one whose intellect was just ripening 
into the full vigor of manhood — of noble form, and 
rich in promise of future usefulness, and glory. If 
not the staff and stay of his sisters, he was the 
blooming hope of fond and doating parents, a shining 
light, for younger brothers, College chums, and loved 
associates, who clustered around him. But alas! he 
is suddenly cut down in our midst ; and to-day, the 
wind sighs mournfully over his new-made grave. 



THE TEARS OF JESUS. 



169 



Surely, here is enough to awaken and melt our com- 
passion, and cause us to weep. 

2. But Jesus was attending the grave of a pious 
and amiable friend, and this ivas an occasion for 
tears. 

How significant the expression in this most touch- 
ing narrative: — "Now. Jesus loved Lazarus?" At his 
house he had lodged, rested upon his couch, and ate 
and drank at his table ; and in that charmed family 
circle, he had tasted the untold sweets of confiding 
friendship. This friend is dead ; and now his acts of 
friendship are more vividly remembered, than ever be- 
fore, and are all fondly cherished in the heart of the 
faithful and affectionate Jesus. He says, " Our friend 
Lazarus sleepeih." A tear over the grave of such a 
friend, if it had fallen from any other eye, would 
have seemed but an equitable tribute. A common 
spectator would have thought of no other cause. The 
Jews understood it well, and exclaimed, "Behold how 
he loved him I" 

You, too, have just been at the grave of a pious 
and amiable friend. Jesus loved Lazarus ; and you 
loved Charles S. Miller. The ties of friendship, 
with all the glowing ardor of youth, and the charms 
of college associations, bound your hearts together. 
Indeed, your attachment for each other, has been like 
that which existed between Jonathan and David. 
15 



170 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



But now, standing around his grave, you say, " Our 
friend Charles sleepeth" — and while we have seen 
you weep, we have exclaimed, with the Jews, "Behold 
how they loved him I" 

3. Jesus wept, out of compassion to surviving rela- 
tives. He saw that they were almost overwhelmed 
with sorrow, and his sympathy was moved — his heart 
was touched. How touchingly tender is the account 
of this fact, in the narrative : " When Jesus, therefore, 
saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping, which 
came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was 
troubled, and said, where have ye laid him? They 
say unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept." 

You, also, have wept out of compassion for the 
relatives of your deceased friend. And hence your 
numerous acts of tenderness and kindness, as friends, 
have awakened in their bosoms, a gratitude which shall 
be as lasting as life itself; and with them, your names 
" shall be in everlasting remembrance." A letter in 
my possession, signed by both the father and mother 
of our departed friend, says to me, among many other 
good things : " Give our love and kindest regards, to 
his classmates, and college associates — and especially 
to those seniors, who have been most intimately asso- 
ciated with him for years. Their names shall forever 
be associated in our memories with that of our dear 
departed son. And our prayer is, that Heaven's 



THE TEARS OF JESUS 



171 



choicest blessings may rest upon them." These, gen- 
tlemen, are precious words to you, coming, as they 
do, from the weeping relatives of your departed 
friend; and you should cherish them " like apples of 
gold in pictures of silver. 5 ' 

But we must pursue this subject a little farther, and 
make a point in relation to the Saviour's tears, in 
which, the parallel we have been running, will no 
longer hold good. It is this, 

4. The tears of Jesus, as a man, furnish us with an 
index to his benevolence, as a God* 

As we have already seen, he was man: — But he 
was also very God — "God manifest in the flesh" — 
" The only wise God our Saviour." As a man, he 
wept at the grave of Lazarus ; but as a God, he called 
him forth from the dead, and restored him to his rela- 
tives, a living man. As a God, he " so loved the 
world," as to come all the way from Heaven, not 
merely to weep at the grave of friends, in sympathy 
with our woes; but to provide a remedy for those 
woes. And now, his tears of tenderness and sympa- 
thy, indicate a disposition to relieve us of our mis- 
eries. If such were the benevolence of his heart; al- 
low that he has the power, and then it is certain the 
remedy will be provided. Hear him assert his ability: 
" All power in heaven and in earth is given unto me." 
Then it is done — ah ; he has announced it from his 



172 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



cross, "It is fesished ! " "He died for our sins, 
and rose again for our justification." He becomes 
" the Captain of our salvation/'' and as such, he re- 
gards all our enemies, as his enemies; and when Death 
assumes to reign over us, he exclaims, "I will ran- 
som you from the power of the grave; I will redeem 
you from death : death, I will be thy plagues ; 
grave, I will he thy destruction." Thus the sympa- 
thetic, weeping Jesus, becomes the conqueror of death, 
hell, and the grave — the Lamb of God, becomes " Ju- 
dah's conquering Lion." "And having spoiled prin- 
cipalities and powers, and made a show of them 
openly/' he has gone into the heavens, shouting, "I 
am he that liveth, and was dead : and behold, I am 
alive for evermore, Amen." 

Such is the weeping Jesus, when viewed as a God. 
He is not only a sympathizing " friend, sticking closer 
than a brother"" — weeping with those who weep, over 
the graves of loved ones gone ; but he is our Sav- 
iour — our Saviour, to save from sin — to dry the tears 
of grief — to bind up the bleeding heart, and bid sor- 
rowing sons of earth, to seek a home where " there 
shall be no more death " — to bless the graves of his 
saints, and bid the bereaved to look forward to a glo- 
rious resurrection, of their cherished friends. You 
rnav weep, when you commit your friends to the 
bosom of mother earth, to see corruption ; 



THE TEARS OF JESUS. 



173 



"Yet these, new rising from the tomb, 
With luster brighter far shall shine, 
Revive with ever-during bloom, 
Safe from diseases and decline." 

With such an assurance of a resurrection, may we 
not, with all the resignation of faith in God, and his 
immutable truth, say, 

u Let sickness blast, let death devour, 

If heaven must recompense our pains; 
Perish the grass, and fade the flower, 
If firm the word of God remains." 

You have committed your friend to the tomb — but 
he was a Christian Friend — a disciple of Jesus — 
saved from sin on earth, his pure spirit is saved with 
God in Heaven; while his flesh rests in hope of a 
blissful resurrection. We no longer call his name on 
the class-roll, in college, but it is called among the 
shining ranks of the redeemed, before the throne. 
When Commencement Bay shall arrive, he will not be 
in your midst, to receive University honors ; but, we 
have good hope, that instead of the Baccalaureate, he 
will be wearing the fadeless laurels of Heaven, placed 
upon his brow, by the " King of kings, and Lord of 
lords" — the affectionate Jesus. His memory shall be 
precious, and be cherished forever, in our " heart of 
hearts." If his voice could be heard to-day, from this 
rostrum, in sweetest accents, from his warm heart of 



174 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT, 

friendship, he would say, "Dear Classmates, and Col- 
lege associates, follow nie, as I followed Christ, and 
soon we shall meet again, 6 know as we are known,' 
and walk together, through the evergreen groves of 
Paradise, along the banks of the river of life, and live 
forever in immortal bliss, fast by the throne of God." 

III. Some inferences from the subject thus 

PRESENTED. 

1. With what cheerful confidence, may we address 
this compassionate Jesus, when weeping on the same 
accounts which called forth his tears. All we have 
to do, is to refer him to a case which was his own. 
He "groaned in his spirit, and was troubled," when he 
wept at the tomb of his friend. He is "touched w T ith 
the feeling of our infirmities," and can still sympa- 
thize with us, as he did with Mary and Martha, and 
bring the desired relief — » 

"He, in the days of feeble flesh, 

Poured out strong cries and tears, 
And in his measure, feels afresh 
"What every member bears." 

And if the cause of our sorrow, can not be re- 
moved, for a time, he says, "My grace is sufficient 
for you." 

2. From the tears of Jesus, at the grave of Laza- 
rus, we may infer that the death of his saints is still 



THE TEARS OF JESUS. 



175 



precious in his sight. He still attends them, though 
in an invisible form, " makes their bed in their afflic- 
tion," and lights up the gloomy vale of death. Thus 
the dying saint sings, only what he feels, when he 
says, 

"Jesus can make a dying bed 
Feel soft as downy pillows are, 
While on his breast I lean my head, 
And breathe my life out sweetly there." 

And thus it was with our buried friend. He met 
his fate without alarm, and his death was precious in 
the sight of Jesus. 

"We heard him bid the world farewell! 

We saw him on the rolling billow; 
His far-off home appeared in view, 

While yet he pressed the dying pillow, 
We heard the parting pilgrim tell, 

While crossing Jordan's stormy river, 
Adieu to earth, for, all is well — 

Now all is well with me forever! 1 

3. "With what holy triumph will Jesus rejoice over 
all his people, when he has recovered them from the 
power of the grave, and destroyed the last enemy, 
which is death. What he did for Lazarus, was but 
an imperfect specimen of what he intends to do, in 
the last day, for all who " sleep in Jesus " — their 
bodies shall be raised to die no more — but all immor- 



176 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 

tal, and prepared for a residence with angels and 
God, in the heaven of the holy. And when a great 
voice shall be heard, saying, " There shall be no more 
death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there 
be any more pain : for the former things are passed 
away/ 5 Then shall Jesus, who has declared himself to 
be "the resurrection and the life," see of the travail 
of his soul, and be satisfied. 

It is said, that when Augustus Caesar was quitting 
empire, and life, he congratulated himself on the great 
improvements which he had made on the buildings at 
Rome. He said that whereas he found the city 
brick, he left it all of marble. But when Christ 
Jesus our Lord, shall descend in all the pomp of the 
resurrection, he may, a thousand-fold more justly, 
glory in the improvement he has made in our bodies. 
He finds them "sown in corruption" but raises them 
"in incorruption" — "sown in dishonor" and raises 
them in "glory" — "sown in weakness" and raises 
them in "power" — "sown natural bodies" and raises 
them " spiritual bodies" In a word, our bodies shall 
be made " like unto Christ's glorious body — all im- 
mortalized, beautified, and fitted for the heavenly 
state of being. With what triumph, may the conquer- 
ing Jesus contemplate such a triumph as this ; and 
what a theme it will furnish for a rapturous song 



THE TEARS OF JESUS 177 

in heaven, to be sung by the redeemed and saved, 
forever and ever. 

May vre, with all our friends, have a part in the 
first resurrection. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be vrith you 
all. Amen. 



178 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



DISCOURSE VII. 

THE DEMOCEACY OF CHRISTIANITY. 

11 And the common people heard him gladly!^ — St. Mark xii, 37. 

Teat is a beautiful sentiment, beautifully expressed, 
in our National Declaration of Independence: — "We 
hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are 
created equal; and that they are endowed by their 
Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among 
these, are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." 
Indeed, this is considered one of the most brilliant 
gems to be found in that Immortal Document. 

But, a greater than Jefferson, Franklin, or Adams, 
taught more fully, and more cogently, the same " self- 
evident truth" long ages, and centuries before the 
American Revolution. In the Bible of God it is 
announced, that "God hath created, of one blood, all 
men, to dwell on all the face of the earth" — that 
"Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for 
every man " — and that we should " do unto all men 
as we would that they should do unto us." Here it is, 



THE DEMOCRACY OF CHRISTIANITY. 179 



that we are taught by God himself, most unequivo- 
cally, this great and all-absorbing truth — The uni- 
versal fraternity of man — the brotherhood of hu- 
manity. 

Although this truth appears to us "self-evident," 
yet, observation, and the records of the world's his- 
tory, in all ages, prove to us that there has always 
existed two classes in society; and in but too many 
cases the line between them has been, but too broad, 
and well marked — For example, we have the gov- 
ernors^ and the governed — the nobility, and the ple- 
beians — Philosophers, and peasants — consumers, and 
producers — The first class, composed of the few, the 
latter of the many. 

Now this seems to have been the case, in the days 
of our Lord's personal ministry in Judea. And on 
the occasion referred to in our text, those of the first 
class were called " The Scribes." They were greatly 
offended at the preaching of Christ, as by it, their 
ignorance was exposed, and their cruel and domineer- 
ing power over the masses, was likely to be broken. 
They were vain of " their long clothing, and loved salu- 
tations in the market places," and in their arrogance 
and pride, they scornfully turned away from this 
Great Teacher. But the second class, called here 
" the common people," saw in Iris preaching, the star 
of hope for down-trodden humanity, and hence they 



180 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



thronged around him in crowding thousands, and 
wrapped in ecstasies, they hung trembling with de- 
light on the lips of " Him who spake as never man 
spake," and the Evangelist announces the historical 
fact, simply by saying — " The common people, heard 
him gladly." 

Let us now briefly consider, 

I. The import of this phrase — "Common Peo- 
ple." 

The original w T ords, literally, signify, " the crowd " — 
"the confused multitude" — or the masses. In a word, 
the peasantry — the plebeians — the laboring and pro- 
ducing million, in any country, are called "the com- 
mon people." Common, because they constitute the 
masses — Common, because they all have a common 
lot — following the order of God and nature, they are 
all employed in producing, "by the sweat of their 
brows," for their own wants, and the wants of the 
teeming millions of little ones, dependent upon them 
for their sustenance. "The common people," are the 
toiling, producing millions of mankind. They are the 
great instrumentalities for the improvement and wealth 
of the world. Upon them the Commonwealth is de- 
pendent for its revenue, its highways, its railroads, its 
canals, its asylums, its school-houses, and its churches, 
and for all the whirling hum of its varied machinery, 



THE DEMOCRACY OF CHRISTIANITY. 



181 



in production. In short, they furnish the nation, all 
its supplies in Peace, and then stand as its sure de- 
fense, in time of War. 

In view of these facts, we might reasonably suppose 
that the lords and nobles of the earth, would take the 
greatest possible interest in the improvement and 
general welfare, of "the common people." But such 
has not hitherto been the case, in the history of our 
race. On the contrary, it has been the settled policy 
of the Monarchs of the old world to keep the masses 
in ignorance, and treat them as serfs — withholding 
from them, many of their " unalienable rights/' In- 
deed, they have been looked upon, very much as "the 
beasts that perish," whose only business was, to obey 
the dictation of lordlings — to come and go at their 
aristocratic beck and nod. In this state of things, 
their dearest interests have been neglected — and 
hence, in all the former ages of despotism, ignorance 
and oppression, have been the common lot of "the 
common people." And even in our own times, it is 
but little better with the toiling millions, in some parts 
of our world. In very many places, one half of so- 
ciety are regarded as mere working machines — and 
hence the higher elements of human nature are sought 
to be crushed out, or obliterated, so as to make them 
useful, as a part of the machinery by which wealth is 
created for the few. 



182 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



This state of things results "in evil, and only evil," 
not only to the common people, but to the Common- 
wealth—to the Nation itself, wherever it is practiced. 
The higher classes become more and more corrupt, as 
the lower classes become more and more indigent, 
and dependent. And when the luxury and corrup- 
tion of the higher classes, reach their hight, and the 
ignorance and beastial degradation of the lower, reach 
their depth, the sun of that nation's civilization will 
set in a sea of blood — of which the French Revolu- 
tion was a fearful example. France had her Marat 
and Robespierre, and England her Cromwell, and any 
other country, in like circumstances, may furnish the 
same, for similar occasions. 

Now, in the name of our common Christianity, I 
protest against such a system of society as that re- 
ferred to, as being a soul and body-crushing system. 
I protest against it, because, living is not the enjoy- 
ment of life— but rather a continual preparing to live. 
It retards the progress of science, and all mental and 
moral improvement, while life becomes a wild race for 
the goal of wealth, in which every man is striving to 
advance himself, by pulling back his neighbor. It is 
anti-christian — anti-democratic, tends directly to the 
degradation of woman, and consequently to the dete- 
rioration of the human race. I claim that there is 
something better in store for humanity, when the in- 



THE DEMOCRACY OF CHRISTIANITY. 183 



tellectual and moral faculties of man, shall regenerate 
the race. 

In this government, "we the people/' claim to be 
sovereign— and each individual man is an integral 
part of the sovereignty, and, therefore, on the shoul- 
ders of each, must rest a portion of the responsi- 
bility, both in this world ^nd that which is to come, 
for the state of society in our country. "And the 
Lord said unto Cain, where is Abel, thy brother? 
And he said, I know not — am I my brother's keeper? 
And the Lord said unto him, what hast thou done? 
The voice of thy brother's blood, crieth unto me 
from the ground ! " It is thus Heaven announces 
to us all, that Man, is responsible for his brother 
Man. 

But is there not a day-break of hope ? Is there no 
sign of light in any quarter of the horizon, to cheer 
us? Yes, light is breaking. The day-star of hope 
is gleaming in the heavens. God is still proclaiming 
in authoritative tones, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor 
as thyself." The Bible, Science, Common-sense, and 
Experience, all unite in recommending to us measures, 
that can but result in the highest philanthropy, or 
universal love to the human race, and obedience to 
the laws of God, resulting in the organization of so- 
ciety into one living brotherhood, something like the 
idea of a perfect Republic, of which Solon so fondly 



184 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



dreamed, where the interests of one, will be conceded 
to be the interests of all. 

But this state of things, can never be brought about 
by "the wisdom of this world," or by the mere ab- 
stract teachings of Political Economy. It will require 
a far higher and holier power. In former ages of 
darkness, systems of religion were projected for the 
well-being of society; but they only looked to the 
elevation and improvement of the aristocratic few. 
The great, and the noble, were to bask in their light, 
and enjoy their emoluments, at the expense, and still 
greater degradation, of "the common people." Even 
philosophers, made long pilgrimages to obtain knowl- 
edge — but when obtained, it was studiously withheld 
from the masses. These philosophers, returning from 
their pilgrimages, laden with rich stores of knowledge, 
would cloister themselves in their "Porches," and 
"Academic groves," where they would communicate 
wisdom only to the favored few, their chosen disci- 
ples ; while the toiling millions were left to labor on 
under all their burdens, uncared for in their igno- 
rance. 

Thus, we see, there has been an aristocracy of Phi- 
losophy and Religion, as well as an aristocracy of 
wealth. And it is thus, the interests of " the common 
people" have been overlooked; and a favored few, 
have been supposed to embody the w T isdom of the 



THE DEMOCRACY OF CHRISTIANITY. 



185 



world — and in their arrogance and pride, they have 
claimed that they alone had rights and interests. 
This was absolutely true, even of Greece and Rome, 
in the days of their greatest glory. 

Such was the state of things, when Christianity 
dawned upon the world. A general want of sympa- 
thy between the two classes. There were no schemes 
for the elevation and improvement of the masses. 
Between the " reigning few," and "the common peo- 
ple," "a great gulf was fixed" — and "the common 
people" were filling the world with the wild, despairing 
exclamation, u No man careili for our souls!" The 
then existing systems of philosophy and religion, for 
them, had no charms, as they furnished them with no 
relief — but left them to grope on in their ignorance 
and misery. 

But a new era is about to dawn. A new order of 
things is about to be introduced. And it is one 
which the panting millions of earth may well hail, as, 
the People's Era. 

Christ J esus the Lord — the Logos — that is, the 
Word — the Utterance — the Speech of God — the Great 
Teacher, makes his advent into the world, and enters 
upon his personal ministry. In doing so, he breaks 
in on the ancient order of things, which fills the 
Sanhedrim, the Scribes, and the ruling monarchs of 
earth, with chagrin and dismay. They had never seen 
16 



186 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



it on this wise before. Christ appeals to the great 
throbbing heart of the masses, and to this appeal, 
there is a hearty response. They hail his coming, as 
the year of Jubilee, begin to rise in their majesty — 
to break the chains of their thralldom, and assert their 
right to be free men in Christ Jesus. And the hi^h 
eulogium, pronounced upon both the preacher and his 
hearers, is, the record of my text — " The common 
people heard him gladly. '\ 
And this brings us to notice, 

II. The affirmation of the Text — " The common 

PEOPLE HEARD HIM GLADLY." 

From this assertion of the Evangelist, we must 
conclude that the ministry of Christ — the ministry of 
Christianity, is peculiarly adapted to the masses — that 
it results in the enlightenment, elevation, and happi- 
ness of " the common people." 

Some have argued that "the common people," 
listened to the discourses of Christ with gladness, 
simply because of the charming sweetness in the in- 
tonations of his voice — his enchanting elocution, by 
which he scattered the flowers of rhetoric all around 
him, to the great delight of his auditors — that on this 
account alone, his preaching was affecting, and they 
concluded that they had never heard it on this wise 
before. All this may be true in itself, yet we have 



THE DEMOCRACY OF CHRISTIANITY. 187 



reasons for their gladness, far more intrinsic and 
cogent. 

L Christ Jesus our Lord, was one of the people. 
He arose among them — was one of them — "A man 
of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.'" He knew all 
their wants, and readily entered into all their sympa- 
thies — and hence, could address them on topics, and 
in a style which they could all easily understand and 
appreciate. He was "the carpenter's son 77 — "a Xaz- 
arene" — "came out of Galilee"'* — and "his mother 
and brethren were with them.'* In a word, He was 
one of them. True, all these considerations only filled 
the lordly Sanhedrim with loathing, and caused them 
to turn their backs upon him, with scorn and con- 
tempt ; but they all combined to give him the more 
ready access to "the common people' 7 — they flocked 
to his standard, and in wrapped ecstasy " heard him 
gladly.- 

2. His acts of sincere and disinterested benevolence, 
won their hearts to attend upon his ministry. 

The Evangelist pronounces his peerless eulogy, 
when he says, "He went about doing good." It is a 
remarkable fact, that while his miracles were mainly 
intended to prove his "eternal power and Godhead," 
yet each miracle had a benevolent end — each one 
accomplishing some good for suffering humanity. 
Crowding thousands in the mountains, and on the sea- 



188 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



shore, were the almoners of his bounty. The maimed, 
the halt, the blind — all felt and rejoiced in the mi- 
raculous touches of his power and benevolence. And 
thus he acquired power over the masses. See that 
lonely, sad, and sorrowful widow of Nain, following 
with mournful tread, the bier of her only son, clad, as 
she was in her weeds of widowhood. The sight is 
a sad one, among the high or low — But this was 
peculiarly so — Jesus sees and feels — commands a 
halt — and to impress the multitude, whose attention 
had been attracted, he inquires "Who is this?" And 
how sad the response, opening afresh the wounds in 
the mother's heart — "He is a young man, 'the only 
son of his mother, and she is a tvidow!" The 
picture of sadness is complete. Tears and silence 
reign, until Jesus, in his benevolence, says, "Young 
man, I say unto thee arise ! " Death yields his grasp, 
and the young man comes struggling out of his coffin, 
and Jesus commands that they "loose him, and let 
him go" — and he is presented to his mother. 
how glad, long and rapturous was the embrace of that 
mother and son — her staff and stay of life restored 
to her! Now, how will she be affected? Will she 
not gladly listen to such a preacher as this ? Mother, 
son, and all the relatives and spectators are won at 
once, and on every occasion, this Preacher will be 
heard gladly — And just so, with all his miracles — 



THE DEMOCRACY OF CHRISTIANITY. 189 



These things gave him power over the masses, and 
won the hearts of the people, as they had never seen 
it on this wise before. Here is a Preacher, a Phi- 
losopher, a Philanthropist, who eclipses forever, all 
who had ever gone before him. 

3. His discourses were- public, and free to all. 

He did not confine himself to the Philosopher's 
Porch, or the Academician groves — the resort of the 
few — the select few — but publicly and freely, preached 
the Gospel to all, in a manner and style adapted to 
their comprehension. His voice rang out in sweetest 
accents, to the thousands on the mountains — at the well 
of Samaria — and in the wilderness. "And at the great 
and last day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, If 
any man thirst, let him come unto me, and I will give 
him living water" — Mark you, "If any man" — not 
merely "the Scribe," or the lordly Sanhedrim — but 
"any man" — "any man" — "If any man" — even 
"common people" — if they "thirst, let them come 
unto me, and I will give them living water." 

4. He ivas Prophet, Priest, and King, for the whole 
world. 

He died for all — offers salvation to all, "without 
money and without price." No wonder that they 
" heard him gladly." He brought to them " Glad 
tidings of great joy" — and with rapturous delight, 
with streaming eyes, and loud shouts, they listened 



190 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



While he exclaimed — " The Spirit of the Lord God is 
upon me ; because the Lord hath anointed me to 
preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me 
to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to 
the captives, and the opening of the prison to them 
that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of 
the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God ; to 
comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that 
mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, 
the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise 
for the spirit of heaviness ; that they might be called 
trees of righteousness — the planting of the Lord, that 
he might be glorified." Such is an epitome of the 
glorious personal ministry of Christ upon earth, which 
■was waited upon by the "common people,'" with so 
much gladness, and is filling the world with wonder, 
and Heaven with praise. 

"We are now prepared for the announcement of 
this great truth: Christianity is a religion for the 
masses, and the Ministers of Christianity, like their 
great Pattern, are the People's Ministers. The whole 
genius of Christianity, tends to the elevation of the 
masses — asserts and maintains their rights. 

It was formerly said that there were a great many 
"secrets in government," which it would not do to 
divulge to " the common people." And we have read 
of "the secret and open" doctrine of the ancient 



THE DEMOCRACY OF CHRISTIANITY. 191 



Philosophers — They proclaimed some things openly, 
while a great many more were reserved for the select 
few. The same thing existed among some who were 
called " Fathers of the Church 5 ' — and some ecclesi- 
astical writers, have endeavored to explain, and palli- 
ate their course. But, thanks be to God, it is fast 
falling into disuse, and is well-nigh obsolete. " The 
common people " are increasing in knowledge, and 
general information, on all subjects, so fast, under the 
all-pervading influence of a genuine Christianity, that 
it is no easy matter to keep secrets from them — and 
being forewarned, they are forearmed. It is now 
pretty well understood that, A Religion that does not 
reach the masses, in all its Ungth and breadth, is not 
the Religion of Christ. The whole " truth as it is in 
Jesus" must be fully preached to all the people. 

As American Christians, there are two things we 
have been taught from our childhood to abhor — king- 
craft, and priestcraft. We are opposed to all tyranny, 
in Church and state — to all invasions of the privileges 
and hopes of the many, by the feiv. Still, we are 
opposed to the far grosser tyranny of Infidelity, and 
Anarchy— And hence we dare not oppose the Bible, 
and the ministry of that Christ, whom " the common 
people heard so gladly/'' 

The American people, if true to themselves, as the 
social regenerators of the world — and true to their 



192 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



great trust, they will most zealously sustain the true 
ministry, which fled from the false ministry, and its 
tyranny, and here, on this broad continent, with their 
own hands, laid the corner-stone of our national tem- 
ple, with the Bible in it, and set a seal upon it, "in 
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
Holy Ghost." The true character of this ministry, is 
expressed in a few words, by an Apostle — " We preach 
not ourselves (as lords) but Christ Jesus the Lord, 
and ourselves your servants," for Jesus' sake." We 
are not Lords — but servants, your servants, for Jesus' 
sake. 

The true Gospel Ministry, then, is the People's Min- 
istry. The great commission tells it all. "Go ye 
into all the world, ancPpreach my gospel to every 
creature." "Go" — do not wait to be sent for, or 
hired to come — but go, go — go yourselves — promptly 
carry out your commission — mark well its terms — 
"Go ye" — go yourselves — and "go into all the 
world" — every-where — and "as ye go, preach" — a 
simple duty, but a boundless sphere — "Preach my 
Gospel to every creature" — to all creatures. 0, how 
sublime! Ambassadors sent by the King Eternal, to 
the people, all the people. We send out our ambas- 
sadors to crowns and courts, but Christ sends his, to 
the people, as though they were the only sovereigns 
on earth — none others to be regarded. True, Paul 



THE DEMOCRACY OF CHRISTIANITY. 193 



did, on one occasion, when he was a pale, manacled 
prisoner, as an ambassador from Christ, rattle his 
chain, in the hearing of a monarch, and made him 
tremble on his throne. Yet, the general rule is, 
Christ's ambassadors are sent to the people, with their 
Gospel message. To the people they herald "Glad 
tidings of great joy," and "the common people hear 
them gladly." 

In this way, Christianity won its way to a world- 
wide renown, and poured its healing balm upon the 
toiling millions of earth. And it maintained its sway, 
just so long as "the common people" were properly 
cared for. But no sooner did a selfish and corrupt- 
ing aristocracy, creep into the Church, than she was 
shorn of her locks, and Ichabod was inscribed upon 
her temples. Her vitality was gone — she no longer 
wielded a controlling power over the great popu- 
lar heart. But with the dawnings of the Reforma- 
tion, which was like the break of day to earth, 
Luther, and his coadjutors, like their Master, went 
out into the " highways and hedges," and appealed 
to "the common people" — the populace — and they 
i; heard them gladly." And the world knows the 
grand result. Years rolled on, and again a selfish 
pride, and an all-crushing aristocracy, insinuated itself 
into the Church — the common people were over- 
looked, and if history tells the truth, the result was 
17 



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most disastrous. Infidelity was born — and a moral 
paralysis rested down upon the whole Church. And 
at this critical juncture, the Wesleys arise — thrust 
out by God to reform the Churches, and raise up a 
holy people. And how they track the footsteps of 
their Divine Master ! Their very first appeal is to 
the great heart of "the common people" — and how 
gladly they were heard. They went through the 
world, and among the Churches, singing, 

" Awake, J erusalem, awake, 

No longer in thy sins lie down, 
The garment of salvation take. 

Thy beauty and thy strength put on." 

The Churches were aroused from their lethargy, 
and once more, throughout the land it could be said, 
" The poor have the Gospel preached unto them." 
The ministry of the Wesleys, was a ministry for 
the people. Their system of "free grace" — "free 
Churches" — and "free seats," all contributed to the 
grand result, the regeneration of the masses. 

The great secret of the unparalleled success of the 
Methodist ministry, may be sought and found, in its 
very constitution and character. 

1. It is a ministry from, and of the people. It is 
right from their midst. It is one with them in sym- 
pathy, interest, and feeling. It is not the ministry 
"in robes and furred gowns," vailed in obscurity from 



THE DEMOCRACY OF CHRISTIANITY. 195 



the vulgar eye — but rather, a ministry that pulsates 
and throbs, in unison with the people. 

2. It is itinerant. It goes — and goes every-where, 
from house to house, and into every nook and corner 
of society, dispensing the word of life to all. It not 
only goes once, but keeps on going, and going, ac- 
cording to the letter and spirit of the Great Commis- 
sion, until "the farthest verge of the green earth" is 
reached, and the Gospel preached to every creature. 

3. They preach a Gospel adapted to the people. A 
universal atonement — free grace, and a present salva- 
tion. And all this is preached "in demonstration of 
the Spirit" and with experimental power — and hence, 
their "Gospel is the power of God unto salvation" — 
even unto the poor. 

There is a matchless, and an all-transforming power 
in the Gospel, thus preached to "the common people," 
as thousands, yea, crowding millions have experienced, 
and can testify — and are testifying in life, in death, 
and in heaven. And the "Democracy of Christian- 
ity" in something like the form of Methodism, will 
demonstrate this glorious truth, to the very ends of 
the earth, in the regeneration and redemption of the 
w T orld, through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Let the people, then — the whole people — from hill 
and from vale, from mountain slope, to mountain sum- 
mit — from hamlet and from hovel — from widow's hut, 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



and from poor man's cabin — all, all, every-where cry, 
All hail — and sing in loud, long chorus, 

"The year of Jubilee is come, 
Return, ye ransomed sinners, home." 

The true Gospel ministry, is the hope of the poor — 
the crown of "the common people." Christ's Min- 
isters are the great Philanthropists, who are to be 
mainly instrumental, in bringing about the universal 
fraternity of man — an acknowledgment of the broth- 
erhood of oar race, when the great principle enunci- 
ated in our "Declaration of Independence" — "All 
men are created equal, and that they are endowed by 
their Creator with certain unalienable rights ; that 
among these, are life, liberty, and the pursuit of hap- 
piness," shall become the sentiment of the world — 
demolishing all thrones, crushing out all tyranny, and 
making the earth to bloom as the garden of God — 
while from its teeming millions, shall go up one 
grand jubilant shout of " Glory to God in the high- 
est," for he hath redeemed earth, and claimed it Bride 
of Heaven. 

May we, one and all, be partakers of this all-pow- 
erful Gospel, and heir of its transcendent rewards, in 
the general assembly of those who are victors crowned 
in Heaven forever. Amen. 



GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 



197 



DISCOURSE VIII. 

GOOD NEWS FROM A FAE COUNTRY. 

u As cold water is to a thirsty soul, so is good news from afar 
country" — Prov. xxv, 25. 

The Book of Proverbs is peculiar in its style. It 
is unlike most other compositions, sacred or secular. 
Each sentence is generally independent — not only 
complete in itself, but containing all that is to be said 
on the subject presented, and there is no reference to, 
or dependence upon, what goes before, or what comes 
after. Each verse is a jewel, bright and sparkling, 
dropping from the pen of wisdom, guided by the hand 
of inspiration — polished by God himself. All this is 
true of the beautiful and charming verse, read as our 
text : " As cold water is to a thirsty soul, so is good 
news from a far country." It is short, but full of 
richest thought. It is characterized by that figure in 
Rhetoric, called comparison, or simile. The imagery 
is beautiful, and poetic — and could not fail to be 
highly appreciated, and well understood, in the ori- 
ental world. It comes down to us, laden with the 



198 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



richest treasures. It is Horeb's Rock, before us in 
the wilderness, and if we can, this day, get hold of 
the Prophet's wand, we hope to be able to smite this 
rock, that waters may gush forth in sufficient quanti- 
ties, at least, to sprinkle the tender flowers in the 
garden — peradventure to water the rustling corn in 
the fields — and, if God will, to bathe the far-off wav- 
ing trees of the forest. 

Without circumlocution, we announce a truism. 

I. Man is away from his long home — His 

FINAL HOME IS, TO HIM, NOW "A FAR COUNTRY." 

This is man's temporary abode. He must soon be 
off, to what is, to him, an unknown, an untried — yet, 
an eternal state. It is the " spirit world" which is to 
him "afar country." He is inevitably bound to it — 
and yet, untaught by the Revelation of Grod, the most 
fearful, dark uncertainty, rests down over the whole 
country ! An unrent vail, conceals it from his view. 
" Where is it ? " " What is it ? " " What shall be my 
state, or condition, when I get there?" "How shall 
I be prepared for its happy occupancy?" These 
are questions of momentous importance, and have 
often, and again, swelled the heart, and heaved the 
bosom, of the wisest sages, of every age. And it is 
weakness, worse than puerile — it is idiotic weakness — 
not to give such questions our gravest, and most 



GOOD STEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 



199 



serious consideration — While it is wisdom, manly 
wisdom, to search for their satisfactory solution, as 
for hidden treasure. The reflecting, the thoughtful — 
the man of truly philosophic turn of mind, will rest 
in nothing short of a satisfactory solution, of these 
momentous questions ; while the thoughtless, frivolous, 
and empty-pated sons of folly, pass them by, un- 
heeded, with idiotic indifference. 

Let us act the part of wisdom, and follow her dic- 
tates in this investigation. 

Man has an inherent, mysterious, and inexplicable, 
• ' : ' -ness, that lie is heir of i m m o via I ity — that he 
is here, & probationer, bound for retribution: 

M Hope, springs eternal, in tlie human breast" 

And conceal, or vail it, as we may, in our wild and 
frantic pursutt of the present, or reveling in its mo- 
mentary pleasures, yet we are forced to an acknowl- 
edgment, that 

"Heaven itself, points out to us a hereafter. 
And intimates eternity, to man." 

In view of this fact, the mind becomes intensely 
anxious, for " news'' from that "far country" Take 
in connection with these facts, the mournful one, that 
we are sinners — Man is guilty — and a moral impurity 
and imbecility, which wholly unfit him for acquiring 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



the Divine favor, are felt and acknowledged. He is 
bound to an immortal hereafter — a state of retribu- 
tion — is guilty before God, his Maker — and the fear- 
ful truth, stares him in the face, and thunders in his 
ear, " God will by no means clear the guilty " — he 
becomes restless, and unhappy. In the striking im- 
agery, and expressive language of the Prophet, he 
is "like the troubled sea, when it can not rest, whose 
waters cast up mire and dirt." " There is no peace, 
saith my God, to the wicked." No marvel that, in 
almost inexpressible anguish, he pants for " news 
from a far country." His anguish is shadowed forth, 
by the condition of the eastern traveler, over deserts 
of burning sand — He is famishing for ivater — All his 
anxieties are for water — and nothing would create 
such ecstasy to him, as u cold ivater" — And so it is 
said of this sinner, untaught by God, that, "As cold 
water is to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far 
country " — news — good news — from his distant, final 
home — the "far-off spirit land." 

Although it may be of the first importance, to re- 
ceive news " from a far country," yet it is generally 
difficult. And so. while it is of infinite importance to 
us, to get news from the future world — our eternal 
home, it is difficult to obtain. Reason, can not bring 
it. Go, and stand before her Oracles of Rationalism, 
and Natural Religion, and with panting bosom, and 



GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 



201 



aching heart, ask what you will, and they are dumb, 
to all your inquiries, and you turn away in sad dis- 
appointment. Philosophy ', can not bring it. With 
majestic bearing, she carries on her proud research 
into cause and effect, in matter and mind, and returns 
to you, on lofty wing, to disclose her richest treasures 
of thought ; yet she brings you no news from beyond 
the tomb! The Astronomer, fresh from his flight 
among the suns and stars, and his rich banquet in 
"the music of the rolling spheres" — discourses, most 
eloquently, of worlds and systems — tells the number, 
and calls the names, of all those bright jewels which 
glitter upon the brow of night, yet he brings you no 
news from far-off eternity! The Navigator, may 
pass through straits, double capes, explore the wild 
wilderness of the seas, and circumnavigate the great 
globe itself — and when he returns, with his proud 
banners streaming over him, he brings no news from 
my final home! No news yet from "that country 
which is a very far off ! " 

Thus, God left the world to itself, for long ages — 
and she still remained in starless night, on this great 
subject. The wild wail of despair, filled the land — and 
a Pagan exclaims, almost in the spirit of Prophecy, 
"We never shall know what true moral virtue is, 
unless some one of the gods will leave his native 
skies, and teach true virtue to man, by suffering/' 



202 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT 



Heavenward, every eye was turned, as if in one last 
agonizing look of despair — when — Hark ye ! A 
loud, and long, bugle blast, from " an angel flying in 
the midst of heaven," announces an arrival from the 
"far country." News, News! Here are Letters, 
from " Moses, and the Prophets" — " Jesus Christ, and 
his Apostles" — Come, "0 Earth, Earth, and hear ye 
the word of the Lord." 

Here is " News from a far country," and it only 
remains for us to inquire into its character. "What's 
the news?" 

II. The character of the news received from 

A FAR COUNTRY. 

We will confine ourselves to such items as are, to 
us, of paramount importance — the items essential, to 
bring relief and joy, to agonizing and perishing hu- 
manity. Man is "lost, and ruined by the fall," and 
in fearful, dark, and agonizing despair, " all his life- 
time, through fear of death, is subject to bondage ! " 
And now, in the very opening of these letters, "from 
a far country," we have the "good news." 

1. That for man, a Saviour is coming. 

This is the very thing we need — a Saviour. It is, 
hence, "good news." This was announced by God 
himself, to the despairing pair, on their expulsion from 
Eden, in the great proto-joromise — " The seed of the 



GOOD NEWS* FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 



203 



woman, shall bruise the serpent's head" This was the 
first scintillation of light, which broke the fearful 
gloom, which was settling down over the withering 
Eden. Sin — dark and damning sin, had struck the 
world with the most terrible death-throes. The frown 
of heaven, was gathering in angry clouds of thickest 
darkness, in whose bosoms struggled the muttering 
thunders of Jehovah's wrath, portending an horrible 
tempest, upon the guilty pair. Behind, above, and all 
around, was hopeless despair. When, lo ! a voice was 
heard, " sweet as angel hymnings" — and yet it swells 
higher, and still higher, until above the loud dismal 
roar of the rumbling thunder, it is distinctly heard, 
proclaiming — " The seed of the woman, shall bruise the 
serpent's head!" The fearful gloom is broken — hope 
revives — a Saviour is promised — there is hope for 
man. This is a good news." Surrounded, as we are, 
by all the splendor of "the latter-day glory," and 
favored with the New Testament, as a living com- 
mentary upon the Old, this may seem a faint promise, 
and of but trifling import. But it would be well for 
us to bear in mind, that in the full blaze of a noon- 
day sun, a lighted candle would attract but little at- 
tention, even in a room — and be entirely unnoticed 
out in the sunny field; — while the same lighted can- 
dle, in a dark and starless night, would immediately 
arrest the attention, and attract the gaze of all ob- 



204 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



servers — yes, even the feeble flash of the fire-fly, 
wholly unobserved in the day-time, is readily seen, 
and admired by all, in the surrounding darkness of 
night. And so it was, with this proto -promise — it was 
the flash of the fire-fly, the lighting up of the candle, 
in the night time. Adam and Eve were retiring from 
a fading Eden — merging out, into the " blackness of 
darkness," of a sin-cursed world; when this promise 
broke upon their ears — "The seed of the woman, 
shall bruise the serpent's head." It was the first 
gleam of hope. They recognized, in it, the promise 
of a Saviour coming. It was light breaking in the 
distance. They saw — they admired — they hoped — 
they worshiped — they adored! 

We read on. And here we find that this same 
promise was renewed, from time to time ; and with 
each renewal, it was expanded, more and more — the 
light increased in splendor, with each passing genera- 
tion of the race; while star after star was lit up in 
the heavens, until the vast expanse, glittered and 
glowed, with stars of promise of a coming Saviour, 
like diamonds on the brow of God. Gradual, and 
increasing light, has been the order, in which this 
"good news" has been communicated to man. 

The Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, re- 
ceived and communicated increasing light, in the form 
of "good news from a far country" — a Saviour com- 



GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 205 



ing — and the brightness of the vision, culminates to 
the mind of old Jacob, and with natural eyes growing 
dim in death, he announces, " The scepter shall not 
depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his 
feet, until Shiloh come : and unto him shall the gath- 
ering of the people be." And having announced this 
"good news,'" he " gathers up his feet into the bed, 
and yields up the ghost, and is gathered unto his 
people." And then, even Balaam, takes up the chant, 
and says, "A Star shall arise out of Jacob, and a 
Scepter shall arise out of Israel : I shall see him, but 
not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh:" He is 
coming, and shall be "a light to lighten the Gen- 
tiles," as well as " the glory of his people Israel." 

The Prophets, then, in turn, take up the strain, 
each adding something to the increasing splendor — ■ 
some star, or stars, to the rapidly augmenting galaxy. 
Moses and David, Isaiah and Jeremiah, with all the 
minor Prophets, all take part in announcing, and ex- 
patiating upon the "Hope of Israel, and the salvation 
thereof, in the time of trouble" — a coming Saviour. 
Daniel even specifies the time, of his coming — the ex- 
piration of his "seventy weeks" — and Micah fixes the 
place, of his advent : — even "Bethlehem Ephratah" 
though "least among the kingdoms of Judah," is to 
be honored by angel visitants, to herald the birth of 
the long -looked for Shiloh, in one of her stables, in a 



206 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



manger cradle. And Isaiah, the evangelical, wrapped 
in the thick visions of the " latter days' glory," on his 
lofty mount of observation, all luminous with licrht, 
streaming from the manger, the cross, the sepulcher, 
and Olivet, in holy ecstasy, speaks of the coming 
Christ, as if he were already here — right before him, 
and exclaims — " Unto us a child is born, unto us a 
Son is given : and the government shall be upon his 
shoulder : and his name shall be called Wonderful, 
Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, 
The Prince of Peace." Here, here is " good news 
from a far country." Here is announced the Person, 
the Office, and the Names of the coming Deliverer — 
the Saviour coming — and the world becomes radiant 
with hope. 

But let us read on, and on — still farther, in these 
letters from a " far country," and we will find, 

2. The good news, that the Saviour has come. 

On the promise of Heaven, the world was looking 
for him — anxiously desiring his advent. As Haggai 
called him, he was emphatically " the Desire of all 
nations' 5 — "All nations were shaken" — Heavenward, 
every eye was turned — And lo! "in the fullness of 
time," he came. He came at the time, specified by 
Daniel, and in the place, named by Micah. Hovering 
angels, bending over the wakeful shepherds on Beth- 
lehem's plains, herald the fact of his birth, as "glad 



GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 



207 



tidings of great joy, to all people" — A Saviour born. 
Hear it, despairing earth, "Unto you, is born, this 
day, a Saviour." In the general joy, even the fleecy 
flocks rise up from their dewy beds, as if to congrat- 
ulate their watchful keepers on this glad, and long- 
looked for announcement ; and ere the echo of the 
angel's voice had died away, across the plain, there 
was the rustling of angels' wings, overhead, and all 
around — and "a multitude of the heavenly host" — a 
full band, of Heaven's most thrilling choristers, broke 
forth in a most enrapturing chant, which in richest 
melody, flowed out over the plains, swelled up in the 
valleys, echoed over the mountains, rolled round the 
world — rising higher and still higher, until it mingled 
with the shouts of the redeemed, round about the 
throne — " Glory to God m the highest, axd ox 

EARTH PEACE, GOOD-WILL TOWARD MEX ! " The news 

was so good, it was even "more than heaven could 
hold" — and hence, angels bore it down to earth, and 
shouted over the glad announcement — a shout, in 
which God's redeemed on earth may join, with all 
the rapture of Heaven. 

This "good news" was received and testified to, by 
"the wise men from the east," who brought to his 
manger, their "gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh," 
and was confirmed by the aged Simeon, who saw, 
wondered, and adored, "the Child born," the "Son 



208 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



given" — and proclaimed him the "Light to lighten 
the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel." 
And now, by " the signs and wonders" which he 
wrought, he demonstrates to all the world, that he is 
the "woman's conquering Seed" — the Shiloh of Ja- 
cob — the "Star, rising out of Jacob" — the "Child 
born," the " Son given " — the Redeemer of the world — 
the Savior of man. No longer need we cry, "Watch- 
man, tell us of the night!" for lo! "the Prince of 
life has come, 77 and we stand, amid all the surrounding 
glory, of a Savior present. And this is "good news 
from a far countrv." 

d 

But, this ''Seed of the woman 77 — this "Shiloh" — 
this "Star out of Jacob 77 — this Voice out of the 
"burning bush 77 — this "Angel of the Covenant 77 — this 
"Desire of all nations 77 — this "Child born," and "Son 
given 7 " — this "Rope of Israel 77 — this Jfessiah, our 
Lord Jesus Christ, seals in demonstration, to earth 
and heaven, his character as Saviour, by doing a Sav- 
iour's work. He leads the life of a Saviour — and as a 
Saviour, expires on Calvary's cross — and with a shout 
that shook three worlds, Heaven, Earth, and Hell, ex- 
claimed, " It is finished" — and gave up the ghost. 
This is " good news. 77 But Joseph's new tomb in the 
rock, could not hold him. On the third morning, with 
the majesty of a God, he arose from the dead — van- 
quished the monster in his own domain — "led cap- 



GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 



209 



tivity captive/' unsealing graves, and demolishing the 
throne of skulls, forever. And now with death, and 
hell, as prisoners, and the key in his own right hand, 
from the gilded summit of Olivet, amidst thronging 
cherubim and seraphim, he ascends up, through worlds 
and wonders, with suns and stars mingling in one 
loud and rapturous chant. He — the Saviour — shouts 
as he flies, " I am he that liveth, and was dead, and 
behold, I am alive for evermore" Onward, and still 
upward, until a wilderness of worlds roll beneath — 
and the escort — the angelic cohort, exclaim in con- 
cert — " Lift up your heads, ye gates ; even lift 
them up, ye everlasting doors ; and the King of glory 
shall come in ! " All heaven hears. And over her 
jasper walls, comes back the inquiry, "Who is this 
King of glory?" The swift-flying escort responds,- 
"The Lord of hosts" — the Saviour — the world's Re- 
deemer — " he is the King of glory." And immedi- 
ately the "gates of pearl" fly wide, and Jesus, the 
Saviour, enters, while the shout of the escort, mingles 
with that of the shining ranks within, and the con- 
queror of "death, hell, and the grave," is crowned a 
hero, on the throne, forever and ever. 

Surely this is "good news" — yea, it is "Glad 
tidings of great joy, to all people " — to you, to me, to 
all. Man has a Saviour! 

3. Our Saviour himself, is the herald of good news — 
18 



210 DISCOURSES FEOM THE PULPIT. 



and we have here, the news he brought "from a far 

country" 

Christ is revealed to us as the Logos — the Word — 
the Speech — the Utterance of God. All we know of 
God, of Heaven, or of a future state, is by, and 
through, Jesus Christ. He is emphatically, the God 
of Revelation. When the Prophet beheld him in 
vision, coming up with the majestic tread of a con- 
quering hero, from the battlefields of Edom and Boz- 
rah, he inquired, "Who is this with dyed garments — 
glorious in apparel — traveling in the greatness of his 
strength?" "Who is this majestic, conquering hero, 
clothed in a blood-dyed vesture?" He responds for 
himself, to the inquiry of the holy Seer, by saying, 
"I that speak in righteousness — mighty to save." The 
-meaning of which is, "I that Reveal Righteousness" 
Thus claiming the honor of the authorship of Revela- 
tion. The whole Bible, is the Revelation of Jesus 
Christ. He reveals God to man — reveals the plan of 
salvation for sinners — solves the problem, which must 
have forever remained unsolved, by angels and men, 
of How God can be just, and yet the justifier and Sav- 
iour of the sinner. This is revealing, just what we 
have need to know — just what the aching heart of a 
guilty world has been agonizing to find out. The 
problem is now solved — the plan is revealed, and has 
been exemplified in the salvation of the very chief of 



GOOD .NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 211 

sinners:— And all this, by Jesus Christ, the herald 
of "good news from a far country. " 

" Life, and Immortality are brought to light, (alone) 
through the gospel." The certainty, as well as the 
nature of the future state, Christ reveals. All the 
lights of Plato, the dreams of Socrates, and the 
conjectures of all sages and philosophers, utterly 
fail us, in the cold damps of death, and the dark 
gloom of the grave. Our brightest hopes perish here, 
while we stand before an unrent vail, which conceals 
from our view, all beyond the tomb— and death wears 
the aspect of " an eternal sleep." how gloomy is 
the grave, to a world untaught by God ! But in the 
very midst of these gloomy surroundings, Behold! 
the vail is rent! News — news — good news, from be- 
yond, is brought by Jesus, and is heralded to the 
world, in his everlasting Gospel. "Life, and Immor- 
tality, brought to light." The hope of the world is 
born anew, when Jesus unlocks the sepulcher, and 
comes forth the conqueror of death, hell, and the 
grave. Hope, thus born at the sepulcher, is baptized 
on Olivet, amid the shouts of angels and the spirits 
of the redeemed, when the King of glory, with his 
shining convoy, ascended in triumph to the throne. 
And now, Hope, baptized for the mission, is sent out, 
all redolent with joy, all over this Golgotha, thronged 
with groups of mourners, bathing, its tombs with 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



tears, profusely shed over loved ones gone — to all such, 
she is fondly whispering words of comfort, pouring 
balm into their aching hearts, binding up their wounds, 
and wiping away their tears — sealing an assurance on 
every heart, that " Although a man die, he shall live 
again." Immortality is the inheritance of man. And 
loved ones gone to the grave, only " sleep in Jesus" — 
their spirits live with God, while their flesh " rests 
in hope" until the resurrection morn, when it shall 
be waked up, and, reunited with the spirit, shall live 
and reign with Jesus, in immortal splendor, forever — 
Hallelujah ! — This is good news — Jesus brought it to 
earth — and ours is the honored privilege of preach- 
ing it, as " glad tidings of great joy, to all the peo- 
ple." His very name — Saviour — is good news to a 
world of sinners, especially when they pass through 
the cypress shades, the cold and clammy mists of 
the dark " valley and shadow of death." And hence 
we preach it all, when we "preach Jesus" 

''Happy, if with my latest breath, 
I may but gasp his name; 
Preach him to all, and cry in death, 
Behold, Behold the Lamb!" 

But still farther. If we will only contemplate our 
higher civilization, on this continent — the genial in- 
fluences of our Government, our institutions, and our 
laws, and hear the down-trodden and benighted mil- 



GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 



213 



lions of earth, inquiring — " What advantage, then, 
hath the American, and what profit is there in citizen- 
ship, in the United States of America ? " — We will most 
readily answer, " Much, every way — chiefly, because 
that unto us have been committed the Oracles of 
God — the Revelation of Jesus Christ." This blessed 
Book, is the Magna Charta of our Civilization, and 
our Government. It is the broad, and ever- enduring 
basis, of all our glorious free institutions. All that 
pertains to the culture, elevation, and happiness of 
man, flow out from this living "Rock of Horeb." Our 
patriot fathers, baptized this whole land at a Christian 
Font — recognizing it as a " Nation born to God in a 
day " — and hence her Christian character can not be 
questioned, or impeached, as it stands out in bold re- 
lief, written in storm-defying letters of light, with 
Heaven's own imprint, "known and read of all men." 

There is an insignificant horde, of driveling dema- 
gogues, who infest the land, like " the frogs of Egypt," 
with their senseless cant, and croaking, who pretend 
to tell us, with a most disgusting infidel swagger, 
that, " This country has no religious character — that 
it is as much a Pagan, or a Jewish, or a Mohamme- 
dan, as, that it is a Christian nation" Thus deny- 
ing to the country of Washington, any distinctive 
religious character. Shame ! shame ! on such mis- 
erable infidel arrogance, baseless assumption, and slan- 



214 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



derous falsehood. It is a gross, unpardonable insult 
to the memory of the Illustrious Dead— the Fathers, 
and Founders, of a great Republic! The position is 
so manifestly absurd, and its advocates so insignifi- 
cant — and withal so steeped in all that is "earthly, 
sensual, and devilish," that they scarcely deserve a 
single moment of our attention. We simply refer to 
them, and their blasphemous dogma, because they 
have become eating, running, cankerous sores, on the 
body politic, and must be thoroughly probed, until 
their putrescent, and pestiferous influence, is all drawn 
out, before the putrefaction is taken up, by the ab- 
sorbents, into the general circulation of the system, 
which would be fatal to life itself. Probe, and probe 
on, and let us get rid of all such excrescences. To 
say the least, let them never be recognized as leaders, 
or standard-bearers, in society — nor chosen as helms- 
men of State, in a country where the Father of it — 
Washington — boldly avowed, in his farewell to his 
countrymen, that "Religion — the Christian Religion, 
and Education, are the main pillars of the Republic. " 

Here, then, in this "good news from a far coun- 
try," the Patriot, as well as the Christian, finds richest 
fields of thought — and, indeed, it is well characterized 
in the song of angels, as " glad tidings of great joy, 
to all people." It is life to the Nation — life to the 
soul — and life for the body, from the dominions of the 
grave. 



GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 



215 



4. We have the "good news" that a Comforter is to 
he. sent into the world. 

This promise, gilds almost every page of the Old 
Testament — and "Joel, the son of Pethuel," is caught 
away in vision, until he seems almost a partaker of 
the "cloven tongues," on the day of Pentecost; and he 
exclaims, as a mouth for God, " I will pour out my 
Spirit upon all flesh ; and your sons and your daugh- 
ters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, 
your young men shall see visions : And also upon the 
servants and upon the handmaids, in those days, will 
I pour out my Spirit" — "And hence, my people 
shall never be ashamed." And then, Jesus confirms 
it, in his valedictory to his disciples, by informing 
them, that he would "not leave them comfortless" — 
but " I will pray the Father, and he shall send you 
another Comforter, that he may abide with you for- 
ever." Such is the import of the "good news" of a 
promised Comforter. 

5. But we have the good news, that the Comforter 
has come. 

Go, take your stand in the "Mission Eoom," at 
Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost. The infant 
Church is there, " all assembled with one accord, in 
one place," in a general "Prayer-meeting," awaiting 
the fulfillment of the promise. Multitudes, from all 
the surrounding country, throng the city, without this 



216 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



circle of prayer. And lo! quick as the lightning's 
flash, the room is filled. The Holy Ghost — the prom- 
ised Comforter — in " cloven tongues as of fire/' falls 
upon the Church. To the Disciples, he demonstrates 
his presence, and now sends them out to demonstrate 
it to a gaping, gazing world of wondering sinners. 
Peter, with the "keys of the kingdom," takes the 
lead, and the kingdom of "the latter days, glory," is 
unlocked to the nations, and all are invited to come 
in, and partake of its benefits, and be sealed by the 
Comforter, the Holy Spirit of promise, in their per- 
sonal experience. 

And now connect with this, the declaration of Je- 
sus — "He — the Comforter — shall abide with you for- 
ever" — and you have the soul of Christianity — that 
which gives character, supernatural life, and matchless 
power, to the Christian religion. It is this, that makes 
the Gospel "the power of God unto salvation" — re- 
generating the sinner — creating him "a new creature 
in Christ Jesus," and filling him with "joy unspeak- 
able, and full of glory." This we call, "Revealed Re- 
ligion" 

Away, then, forever away, with your cold and pow- 
erless Rationalism, or Deism, with all its gaudy dress, 
and frivolous frippery, fit only to be admired by the 
heartless Stoic, or the vain and self-conceited misan- 
thrope. Let us rather cry, Hail, all Hail! to this 



GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 217 

Messenger ', from " a far country," bringing us a religion 
of impulse — of life-giving power — suited to our na- 
ture — a religion that dries the tears of the mourner, 
pours a flood of comfort into the heart of sadness, 
and gratifies the souVs immortal appetites, with immor- 
tal food — making the man, " a partaker of the Divine 
nature" — even "Christ formed within, the hope of 
glory." And all this, by the Comforter — "the Holy 
Ghost given to us" — which is the sum and substance, 
the life and power of Revealed Religion, in which the 
Christian glories; notwithstanding the silly jeers, and 
taunts, of some merely would-be philosophers. But, 
" Our Rock is not as their rock, our enemies them- 
selves being judges." In one word, we have, "Joy 
in the Holy Ghost" 

6. By the intercourse the soul is permitted to have 
with the spirit world, through the ministry of angels, 
and in communion with God, we may, daily, be in the 
receipt of "good news from a far country." 

This is a department in which, each individual 
Christian, receives news for himself. The communi- 
cation is personal. Since the rending of the vail of 
the temple, when Jesus uttered his expiring cry on the 
cross, the correspondence betwixt earth and heaven 
has been more personal, and direct. It is not the 
high-priest alone, but every saint of the Most High 

God, who has access to, and correspondence with, the 
19 



218 DISCOURSES FEOM THE PULPIT. 



"Most Holy Place," or the "Holy of Holies "—inas- 
much as they all become "kings and priests unto God." 
A regular line, for the "ministry of angels" is estab- 
lished, and kept up, for the benefit of the saints. 
And although unperceived by any of the natural 
senses, or organs of the body, yet angels minister, as 
God's messengers, betwixt the Church triumphant, 
before the throne, and the Church militant, on earth. 
Old Jacob's mystic ladder, seen in vision, still reaches 
from earth to heaven — its foot, at the portals of the 
Church here, while it only terminates, at the gates of 
the New Jerusalem; and "the angels of God are 
descending and ascending ," as the bearers of dis- 
patches — often making glad the heart of the indi- 
vidual saint on earth, with " good news from a far 
country;" — and then raising a rapturous shout in 
Heaven — producing "joy in heaven, among the angels 
of God," by bringing the news from earth, that a sin- 
ner has repented — a soul has been converted to God. 
No sooner does the mourning penitent, in blissful rap- 
ture, tell to the Church on earth, his sins are par- 
doned- — his soul is happy, than glad angels, on bend- 
ing wing, announce the fact before the throne, that 
" the dead is alive, and the lost is found " — and the 
shining throng, in heavenly raptures, raise a shout 
responsive to that of the "new-born soul" — and the 
Church on earth. And hence, says Jesus, " Likewise, 



GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 219 



I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the 
angels of God, over one sinner that repenteth." 

The Saviour himself, although "the Sent of God" — 
the bearer of good news to earth, felt the necessity, 
and gladly received angel visitants, while on earth, 
the "man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." 
They visited the world, to announce his birth — and in 
the great temptation, when faint and weary from hun- 
ger, "angels appeared unto him, strengthening him," 
in the wilderness. Then at his baptism, on the mount 
of transfiguration, in Gethsemane's garden, on the 
cross, on Calvary, and on Olivet, he received the visits 
of these winged messengers, and enjoyed the benefits 
of the ministry of angels. 

And now, the same privilege is vouchsafed to his 
Church ; and for our comfort, the Apostle says of the 
angels of God, that they are "All ministering spirits, 
sent forth to minister for them, who shall be heirs of 
salvation." And it is thus, we receive " good news 
from a far country," communicated to us, personally. 
How often, in the assembly of the saints, if we could 
hear as God hears, would we hear the rustling of 
angels' wings, while 

11 Unperceived, they mix the throng : " — 

and with a voice, too sweet to be perceived by mortal 
sense, they communicate with the heart — and bring 



220 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



news — "good news, from a far country." This is one 
of the unseen, mysterious causes, which swells the 
raptures of God's people, in the sanctuary, which be- 
comes the habitation of God and angels, and the very 
"gate of Heaven," to saints, who here commingle 
with angels unseen, and receive dispatches from these 
bearers of " good news from a far country " — who are 
sent forth "to minister for them, who shall be heirs 
of salvation." And as Moses and Elias, visited the 
mount of transfiguration, where they were recognized, 
by the disciples, as messengers from " a far country," 
so, ever and anon, our ministering spirit, may be, a 
sainted father, an angel mother, or a cherub babe, 
gone on before us, and wait to greet us with a glad 
shout of welcome, when the Master shall say to us, 
" Come up higher ! " They may visit us now, to 
cheer us on in our pilgrimage, " through this howling 
wilderness," and to assure us, that a glad welcome 
awaits us, when we cross the Jordan, and enter the 
New Jerusalem, to " see the King in his beauty, and 
behold the land, that is now a very far off." 

And still more direct : — the soul itself, is placed in 
immediate communication with God upon his throne. 
In pious meditation, and prayer, the soul is in com- 
munion with God, whether it be alone, in thfc closet, 
or the grove, or in company, with loved ones around, 
in the family circle, perusing the "Family Bible" — 



GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 



221 



or in the Sanctuary, enjoying " the fellowship of the 
saints." Prayer, is converse with God. And the 
answer to Prayer, is "good news from a far coun- 
try." A line of Telegraph, is established, in the 
economy of grace, reaching from the " Throne of 
Grace" on earth, to the " Throne of God" in heaven. 
And Dispatches are sent, and received, with unerring 
accuracy, and with more than lightning speed. From 
the lowly couch of poverty and affliction — of anguish 
and deep distress; as well as from the palaces of 
wealth; the Dispatch — the Prayer, flashes along the 
line, and quick as thought, the answer comes, and the 
soul is in immediate rapture. And why? 0, that 
answer, is "good news from a far country." 

how delightful is the communion of saints on 
earth, with God in Heaven ! It is thus we can " re- 
joice evermore" — and hail it as a privilege, to "Pray 
without ceasing." This correspondence is kept up. 
Our messages will never be crowded out — and there 
will be no delay, or inaccuracy, in the answers. 
what a blissful life to live ! And by and by, a dis- 
patch will be received, " Child, your Father calls, 
come home." To which we will respond, by accom- 
panying the convoy, with Jesus, as the "Captain of 
our salvation," who will convey us "from our home 
on earth, to our home in heaven." 

Surely there is no need to inquire, " What 9 8 the 



222 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



ws?" while we are in direct communication with 
heaven. We may leave it to the foolish dolts, and 
stupid devotees of Rationalism, and still blinder De- 
ism, to be forever hammering away at the Oracles of 
Reason* and Natural Religion, and still inquiring in 
hopeless despair, "What's the news?" "from a far 
country/' But, Hallelujah to God! we have it, in an 
unerring response from our Oracle. The Bible un- 
folds it, in all its grandeur — angels are its heralds — 
and the Holy Ghost seals it to our hearts. And ! 
it is " good news" producing "joy unsveakable, and 
full of glory:' 

And lo ! the vail is rent — and Heaven itself, in all 
its glory, stands disclosed to our view. Its society 
is seen and known, with its swelling millions of 
an "innumerable company, that no man could num- 
ber" — even eighteen hundred years ago. And the 
throngs of the redeemed from earth, who are crowned 
in heaven, enjoy society, " Jcnoiving as they are known" 
Recognition of friends in heaven, is explicitly revealed, 
and constitutes an important element, in the bliss of 
the future world : 

' l There friends shall meet again, who have loved:" 

And all this is "good news from a far country 
which we drink in with rapturous delight, and find it 
as exhilarating, " as cold waters to a thirsty soul." 



GOOD NWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 223 



It now only remains for us to state, without elabo- 
ration, unto what this "good news" is likened. 

III. Good news from a far country, is like 

u COLD WATERS TO A THIRSTY SOUL." 

The truth, beauty, and force, of this proposition, 
have been fully brought out, at every point, in the 
elucidation of the former propositions. It is a beau- 
tiful figure, well conceived, and poetically expressed. 
Its beauty and force would be the more readily seen, 
and highly appreciated, among the Orientals. In a 
country, with an intensely sultry climate — vast desert 
wastes of burning sand, and great scarcity of water. 
Over one of these dreary wastes, a company of trav- 
elers are making their weary way. Burning sands 
beneath their feet — a tropical sun blazing over their 
heads — and all around, far as the eye can reach, there 
is nothing to greet the vision, but the scorching sands 
of this waterless desert. Now all they crave is ica- 
ter — cold water. And water they must have, or perish. 
They clamor for water. Their sufferings and anguish, 
become more and more intense, and the agonizing 
wail goes up for water. Death, in one of its most 
terrible aspects, stares them in the face. When lo ! 
suddenly, there rises before them a lovely mound, 
covered with shrubbery and flowers, and from which 
gurgles, and sparkles, a never-failing stream of cold 



224 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



water. Faint and famishing, they throw themselves 
on the gentle slope, under the spreading branches of 
the trees, of that shady evergreen bower, fragrant 
with the odors of sweetest flowers. They drink, and 
live — drink, and revive — drink, and rejoice — drink, 
and shout for joy. 0! it is "cold waters to a thirsty 
soul." And this group of weary, way-worn travelers, 
feel like Peter, on the Mount of Transfiguration, when 
he said in his rapture, "Lord, it is good to be here." 
And like him, they feel like building tabernacles, and 
abiding there, on that lovely mount, forever. 

Just so has it been with a famishing world of sin- 
ners lost, wandering over the wild desert wastes, and 
burning sands, of a sin-cursed earth. The wrath of 
an angry God, in flashing fury, burning over our 
heads — while right before us, opened a burning gulf, 
which in all its domain, does not afford a single drop 
of water, to cool a parched tongue, when its flames 
are curling around its victims. To the breaking, 
crumbling verge of this wide, yawning gulf, from 
which comes up nothing but a wild wail of despair, 
we are rushing, and hastening on. But there is "no 
eye to pity — no arm to save." for some way of 
escape. Heavenward every eye is turned. But who, 
who, can bridge that fearful gulf, or seal up the 
awful chasm? Who can hush the angry thunders, 
roll back the storm-cloud of threatening wrath, and 



GOOD NEWS FROM A FAB COUNTRY. 



225 



reveal the way of escape, for man? There is a plan — ■ 
a scheme of Infinite Wisdom, by which the lost may 
be found, and the dead may live. But it is sealed 
up. One Book contains it — but it is in the "hand 
of Him that sitteth upon the throne" — and withal, is 
" sealed with seven seals." How shall it be opened? 
It seems, all heaven is interested for a perishing 
world — and "a strong angel" goes forth through the 
realms of God, and inquires — "Who is worthy to 
open the book, and unloose the seals thereof?" This 
inquiry is heard, pealing through heaven, echoing 
among suns and stars, and rolling around the world. 
But alas! the response is, '.'No man in heaven, nor 
in earth, neither under the earth, is found able to 
open the book, neither to look thereon." The Apoca- 
lyptic John, on that lonely sea-girt isle, when he saw 
this in vision, wept! And the world was in tears! 
But just as Despair was about to fold her wings for- 
ever, around the guilty world, lo ! a bright-winged 
messenger, says — "Weep not!" Dry your tears! 
"0 earth, earth, hear ye the word of the Lord" — 
Good news ! — Good news ! All Heaven is in a glow 
of rapture. Angels are tuning their harps afresh — 
and let earth get ready to join in the loud acclaim, 
for, "Behold! the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the 
Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and 
to loose the seven seals thereof." The plan is re- 



226 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



vealed — the scheme is unfolded — the work is done — 
Man is redeemed — and Happiness, and Heaven, offered 
to all our race. Behold the Lamb of God, "in the 
midst of the throne, ^and of the four beasts, and the 
white-vested elders," now stands forth, as the con- 
quering "Lion of the tribe of Judah." He takes the 
sealed book from "the right hand of him that sat 
upon the throne," and with his own right hand of 
matchless power, he unseals the mysterious volume, 
unrolls the sacred scroll, and from his lofty empyrean, 
heralds to the millions of our babbling world, "Glad 
tidings of great joy" — salvation to the lost, through 
the blood of " the Lamb slain, from the foundation of 
the world." And now overhead, and all around, an- 
gels are flitting through the heavens, publishing the 
news from this unsealed book — and it is like "cold 
waters to a thirsty soul." The dead, hear it, and 
live — the lost, hear it, and they are found. And now 
the redeemed sinner, in his new-born rapture, calls 
on all creation, to join him, in his ascriptions of praise, 
to the Lamb slain: 

"0, for this love, let rocks and hills, 
Their lasting silence break ; 
And all harmonious human tongues, 
Their Saviour's praises speak." 



And not satisfied, when this world redeemed, "rolls 



GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 227 



the rapturous hosanna round," he continues, crying 
for still loftier praise : 

"Angels, assist our mighty joys, 
Strike all your harps of gold ; 
But when you raise your highest notes, 
His love can ne'er be told! " 

John had a panoramic view, of all this ecstasy. It 
is no fiction — no mere picture of the imagination — 
but a glorious, heavenly reality. He says, he saw 
" the four beasts, and the four-and-twenty elders, fall 
down before the Lamb, having every one of them 
harps, and golden vials, full of odors, which are the 
prayers of the saints. And they sung a new song, 
saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to 
open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast 
redeemed us to God, by thy blood, out of every kin- 
dred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast 
made us unto our God, kings and priests: and we 
shall reign on the earth." And while the redeemed — 
the blood- washed of earth, thus shout, in adoring won- 
der, over this matchless achievement of Judah's con- 
quering Lion, in the redemption of the race, he heard 
pealing from the highest heaven, " the voice of many 
angels" — and the number was " ten thousand times 
ten thousand, and thousands of thousands ; saying with 
a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to 
receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, 



228 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



and honor, and glory, and blessing." And higher, 
and still higher, swells the loud acclaim — wider, and 
still wider, spreads the shout of general joy — until 
men and angels — earth and heaven — suns and stars — - 
yea, the whole wilderness of worlds, that float in space, 
around the central throne — all join in the long loud 
shout of Redemption. The universe becomes vocal 
with Messiah's praise. For John says — " Every crea- 
ture w T hich is in heaven, on the earth, and under the 
earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in 
them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, 
and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, 
and unto the Lamb forever and ever. And the four 
beasts said, Amen. And the four-and-twenty elders, 
fell down and worshiped him that liveth forever and 
ever." 

Such are the Scriptural indications of exultation 
and joy, over the reception of this message from 
heaven to earth — this "good news from a far coun- 
try," which is said to be, " as cold waters to a thirsty 
soul." And it is the only thing that can furnish a 
proper climax, to this discourse. And the rhetorical 
symmetry of it would be spoiled, if it were withheld. 
We could not do justice to our own feelings, nor to 
the rules of good taste, without, at least, attempting 
its presentation. This we have done, as nearly in the 
language of the Apocalypse, as possible. Call it not 



GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY. 229 

a wild, fanatical, or ranting shout, for, it is in the lan- 
guage of God's own Book. It is a prominent scene 
in the grand panorama, which unrolled its grandeur 
to John, in vision, and comports with the dignity of 
angels, and of God — and is the richest melody, that 
echoes through earth and heaven. 

what news ! Good news ! And as we are the 
happy recipients of its richest benefits, let us be am- 
bitious of bearing a partj in filling earth and heaven, 
with the rich, immortal melody of "Redemption's 
Song" — Practice upon its notes on earth, that we 
may be ready to take our seats in the Choir, in their 
blood-washed robes of snowy whiteness, around the 
Throne of God. 



230 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



DISCOURSE IX. 

GOD 1 1ST LANGUAGE. 

" Therefore is the name of it called Babel ; because the Lord 
did there confound the language of all the earth; and from thence 
did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the 
earth.'" — Genesis xi, 9. 

" And it shall come to pass in the last dags, that the mountain 
of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mount- 
ains, and shall be exalted above the hills ; and all nations shall 
flow unto it! 1 — Isaiah ii, 2. 

The plain and positive utterances of the word of 
God, establish beyond all controversy, the doctrine of 
" the unity of the human race: 5 ' "God hath made of 
one blood, all nations of men, for to dwell on all the 
face of the earth/ 7 And the Physiological, Philo- 
sophical, and Historical arguments, all concur in this 
declaration — though they can not make stronger, the 
unequivocal position of divine revelation — a " thus 
saith the Lord." 

The human race being one, God's* unmistakable 
purpose, was that it should be a brotherhood. The 
universal fraternity of man, is a Divine scheme. And 



GOD IN LANGUAGE. 



231 



our " American Declaration of Independence/ 5 only 
enunciates a great truth of God's Revelation, when it 
says, "All men are created equal, and are endowed 
by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.' 5 Our 
fathers simply expressed their concurrence in the 
teachings of the Bible. Now, admit the unity of the 
human race, and the Divine origin of Language, and 
the unity of Language follows, as an equally unmis- 
takable truth. God gave Language to man, as the 
vehicle of thought — as a medium of communication, 
between man and man — and hence it was one. The 
existence of " Universal Grammar," and the whole 
" Philosophy of Language," demonstrate, beyond the 
shadow of a doubt, this fact — the unity of Language. 
But if a single doubt exists in the mind of any, the 
Bible settles the controversy: "And the whole earth 
was of one Language, and of one speech." And had 
the w T orld remained a brotherhood, according to God's 
original purpose, Language would have forever re- 
mained one — and this would not have been a " Poly- 
glotic earths Sin, is the great disturber. Sin has 
wrecked the race, and as a consequence, has wrecked 
the Language. In breaking up the brotherhood of 
man, Language has become diversified, to meet the 
disturbed, and disordered state of affairs among the 
race. 

Unity of Language, is a sine qua non, to a perfect, 



232 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



universal fraternity of man. "Babel" or a "confu- 
sion of Languages/' is incompatible with the fullest 
development of humanity, in the communication of 
thoughts, sentiments, and affections, resulting in the 
highest state of mental culture, and happiness of the 
race. The higher civilization, can only culminate in 
a period, when it shall be said again, " The whole 
earth is of one Language, and of one speech." 

With these views, in which we all heartily concur, 
how shall we "reconcile the ways of God to man" — 
and see, and acknowledge, " God in Language?" In 
my first text, on this occasion, it is said, "Therefore 
is the name of it called Babel ; because the Lord did 
there confound the Language of all the earth: and 
from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon 
the face of all the earth." God had drowned the old 
world w T ith a universal deluge — saving only a rem- 
nant, Noah and his descendants, with which the new, 
or postdiluvian world, was to be repeopled. He had 
an original purpose, which remained unalterably fixed, 
and sure, that all this broad earth, should be the abode 
of man — that human beings should belt the globe, in 
all its lines of latitude and longitude — cultivate, adorn 
and beautify it, feed upon its fruits, and regale them- 
selves amongst its flowers — and use it all — both land 
and sea — as scaffolding, upon which to elevate the 
race to God, and wed it bride to heaven. 



GOD IN LANGUAGE. 



233 



This leads us to lay down, and unfold, the propo- 
sition : 

L God's grand purpose in confounding, or di- 
versifying LANGUAGE. 

To the observing student of the Philosophy of His- 
tory, in connection with the Providence of God, the 
grand purpose can not be mistaken. It w T as the dis- 
persion of the race. "The field is the world" — the 
whole world, to be cultivated. The God who made 
it as an abode for man, purposes to occupy the whole 
field. It takes it all, to form the broad base, upon 
which to rear the grand colossal structure of Civiliza- 
tion, and Christianity, and show forth the glory of 
God, in accomplishing the great and glorious purposes 
of man's creation. 

Noah, and his immediate descendants, housed in 
the Ark, sailed in safety, over the shoreless expanse 
of the waters of the Deluge, from the antediluvian, 
to the postdiluvian world, and disembarked on Ara- 
rat, while the bow of promise, in gorgeous splendor, 
spanned the cloud of the retiring tempest, making 
glad the hearts of the progenitors of a new world — 
destined to be the founders of nations. 

Years passed on, and the race multiplied, with 
great rapidity. And now, God issues his edict for 
them to emigrate — Go — go out, into all the world, 
20 



234 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



which lies before you, to yield a healthful sustenance 
for man and beast — Go out, and found empires, and 
sprinkle its islands and continents, all over, with your 
descendants; build altars to God every- where, and let 
the whole earth be vocal with praise to the Creator. 
It seems, from the succinct history before us, that the 
three sons of Noah, each the head of a tribe, was 
each, to lead his tribe forth, into a heritage specially 
designated, and assigned by Jehovah himself, and in 
this way, as their numbers multiplied, generation after 
generation, the whole world would be populated, and 
yet be one brotherhood, with one Language. 

Now r , in obedience to this order to emigrate, the 
whole population, called in the history, "the whole 
earth/' in a body, started, and journeyed together 
from Armenia, with a view, no doubt, of separation 
according to their families, that they might occupy 
the different parts of the earth. They all arrived at 
Shinar, on the banks of the Euphrates. And here, 
in an evil hour, and under the lead of a selfish, yet 
an artful, scheming demagogue — an Infidel, and an 
Idolator — a fit leader for rebels — they determine to 
resist the Divine intention of their separation. The 
plot was to consolidate, establish a monarchy, founded 
in Idolatry, and remain together. It will be per- 
ceived at a single glance, that this conspiracy at 
Babel, was not only a political combination, but also 



GOD m LANGUAGE. 



235 



a marked religious defection, from the worship, and 
truth of God. Josephus, does not hesitate to say that 
the great leader of this rebellion, was Nimrod, the 
"mighty hunter." He characterizes him as a bold 
man, of great strength of hand, and a daring rebel 
against God. Jonathan ben Uzziel, and the Jewish 
Targum, take the same position, as to the leader in 
this defection — " Nimrod, the mighty hunter," must 
bear the infamy, on his memory. 

This daring chief, flattered with his fame, as a 
" mighty hunter," formed the ambitious purpose of a 
universal monarchy, of which he was no doubt to be 
the reigning monarch. In the perverseness of his 
nature, and to carry out his ambitious schemes, he 
departed from the patriarchal faith — cut loose from 
allegiance to the true God, he sought to introduce 
Idolatry, among the people, to an awful extent. One 
author says, " Nimrod' s rebellion was anti-Christian — 
he was anti-Theos, and his proceedings were not un- 
connected with the prophecies of true religion." It 
was not for Nimrod to consolidate all nations, under 
one head, in an empire based upon Idolatry — but for 
Jacob's Shiloh, is reserved the honor of gathering all 
nations to him, under one Theocracy — for it is writ- 
ten, " unto him, shall the gathering of the people be." 

This daring son of Cush, succeeded in his purpose, 
so far as to bring the masses of the people into his 



236 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



views; and the great monumental Tower was com- 
menced, intended to be the center of this empire of 
Idolatry. The people departed from their duty, ab- 
jured their Grod, and entered on a course of action, 
contrary to the Divine will. At this critical juncture, 
God interposes, and makes their monumental Tower, 
a " Tower of Babel" and only monumental of their 
folly, and their shame. He effectually thwarts their 
wicked purpose, and at the same time, insures the ac- 
complishment of his own. In the kindlings of Jeho- 
vah's wrath, he says, "Go to, let us go down, and 
there confound their Language, that they may not 
understand one another's speech." Thus he thwarts 
their purpose ; for it is said, " they left off to build." 
The work was abandoned. And now, the historian 
adds, "So the Lord scattered them abroad from 
thence, upon the face of all the earth :" — thus he ac- 
complishes his own original purpose — the peopling of 
the world. Nimrod was a "mighty hunter," but he 
could not measure arms with Jehovah, though the 
whole earth stood at his back. From this, let na- 
tions be warned of the utter, damning folly, of array- 
ing themselves against God. " He that sitteth in the 
Heavens will laugh, the Lord will have them in deri- 
sion : " True statesmanship, says to the nation, " Kiss 
the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, 
when his wrath is kindled but a little." 



GOD IN LANGUAGE. 



237 



Language was confounded, just enough to defeat 
Nimrod, and accomplish the dispersion, according to 
the original design. Probably dividing off into three 
Languages, answering to the three sons of Noah. 

First, the Sanscrit, which has produced the Greek, 
Latin, Gothic, Celtic, and Persian — as so many riv- 
ulets, flowing out from the same reservoir. 

Second, Arabic, from which come the dialects used 
by Jews, Assyrians, and Abyssinians. 

Third, the Sclavonic, or Tartarian, from which 
flow the dialects of Northern Asia, and North-eastern 
Europe. The Philologist will tell you, that these 
three are each distinct, and different from the other, 
and are evidently parent stocks of Language. 

It is enough for our purpose, to know that**by this 
means, the separation was rendered inevitable, and 
God's purpose was accomplished. True, it has made 
the world a "Babel" — yet babbling millions, are teem- 
ing all over it, to its "farthest verge." This confu- 
sion in Language was miraculous, of course ; but not 
a whit more so, than the gift of Language in the first 
place. 

Now, although Nimrod remained in Shinar, with 
those who understood his Language, yet you see the 
others, emigrating — branching out, just as Language 
branched — and flowed on, and on, to the different 
parts of the earth, until, in every part, it has become 



238 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



the abode of man. And thus, has God accomplished" 
one of his grand designs, by the " confusion of Lan- 
guages/] But, this gives us a " Polyglotic Earth" 
with bitter antagonisms, among the race, designed to 
be a brotherhood, growing out of these many tongues, 
at least, partially so. Diversity, in Languages, is in- 
compatible with the fullest development, elevation, 
social fraternity, and perfection of the race of man. 
And yet this is the great purpose of Jehovah in re- 
lation to humanity — Universal fraternity, the highest 
development, adornment, and perfection of man, the 
handiwork of God, made in " his own image and like- 
ness." In a word, the highest Civilization, and holy 
Christianization, of the world of mankind, as one 
great brotherhood, is God's purpose, unalterably fixed 
and sure. It is just as certain to be brought about, 
as was the peopling of the whole earth, by the con- 
fusion of Languages at the Tower of Babel — by the 
very reverse of the means and measures, then and 
there, resorted to — even by the " Unity of Lan- 
guage" — reversing the flow, and bringing all the 
streams back, into one great and glorious reservoir — 
making one Language, to be used by all, from pole to 
pole — and understood by all, when the long, loud ac- 
claim, goes up into the ear of a listening heaven, from 
a world in Union, of "Alleluia! For the Lord God 
omnipotent reigneth !" 



GOD IN LANGUAGE. 



239 



It is in full view of the accomplishment of this pur- 
pose, that the Holy Seer, from the lofty mount of his 
observation, with the robes of evangelism all around 
him, and the fires of inspiration flashing from his 
eye, exclaims to earth's now babbling millions, "It 
shall come to jiass in the last days, that the mountain 
of the Lord's house, shall be established in the top of 
the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and 
all nations shall flow unto it" And this is my second 
text. Here we are told, that in the last dispensation — 
called "the last days" — the Gospel dispensation — the 
house of God shall be built — yea, "established in the 
top of the mountains" — highly elevated, and conspic- 
uous, to the gaze of men and angels, and " all na- 
tions" of every "kindred, and tongue, and people" — 
"shall floio unto it" — into the same house — shall 
come " flying like clouds, and like doves to their win- 
dows," and there, as in one vast amphitheater, the 
congregated millions of earth, in one Language, shall 
hymn the song of jubilee, over a redeemed world, 
while Civilization and Christianity, will culminate 
in their greatest glory — and mankind be a brother- 
hood. 

And this leads us to expand another distinct prop- 
osition : 



240 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



II. God's grand purpose to be accomplished, in 
the Unity of Language. 

The order proclaimed on the plains of Shinar, was, 
to Emigrate — flow out from a common center. Just 
as Language became diversified, the people were to 
scatter — move out, and inhabit the very ends of the 
earth. This purpose is accomplished. Now, in these 
"last days," the order is reversed. "All nations" are 
now to flow into one house , "exalted above the hills," 
and lofty as the mountain summit, with ample accom- 
modations for all the race. Unity, is the great idea. 
But how is this to be brought about? We answer, 
one of the great instrumentalities, will be the bring- 
ing back the streams of a diversified Language, all 
into one. A unity of Language, must, eventually, re- 
sult in the brotherhood of nations — the fraternity of 
man. 

The Philologist, as well as the Philanthropist, sees 
and acknowledges, that the providence of God is, 
gradually, but with certainty, working out this great 
end. The Tower of Babel, is fast crumbling to its 
fall ! And the mountain of the Lord's house, is rising, 
in all its architectural splendor, on the lofty eminence 
of the higher civilization — with its colossal pillars, 
and star-gemmed dome; under which, all nations, of 
every "kindred, tongue, and people," are to be shel- 
tered, and find sanctuary — a united brotherhood, with 



GOD IN LANGUAGE. 



241 



one Language, " one Lord, one Faith, and one bap- 
tism." 

The study of Language ; nay, the study of Languages, 
is a noble study, fraught with the deepest interest, 
and productive of the richest treasures of thought. 
It has well been said, that " oftentimes, as much may 
be learned from the history of a word, as from the 
history of a whole campaign." But what adds greatly 
to the interest of the study of Philology, is that we 
can see " God in Language" — and how he uses it, at 
his pleasure, to work out the great problem of the 
high destiny of our race. It is thus, it becomes a 
theme for the richest thought, among angels and men. 
Let us, then, look at the unfolding of this proposition 
with, at least, some minuteness, and care. 

It is a Philological fact, well known to the student, 
that the Languages of earth, are diminishing, numer- 
ically. Some have ceased to exist, while all the re- 
maining, save one, are becoming more and more 
meager, in the characteristic elements, which go to 
constitute a separate Language. It is equally true, 
that all, both living, and dead Languages, are flowing, 
like so many streams, or rivulets, into the only one 
augmenting and spreading Language of earth — so that 
Providence is making it the great reservoir, to receive 
all others; and hence, it, alone, is extending its area, 
and growing richer and stronger, as a medium of 
21 



242 DISCOURSES EKOM THE PULPIT, 



communication between man and man, and by which 
Civilization, Literature, Science, and Christianity, are 
being carried to the very ends of the earth. And 
that one Language, around which cluster such honors, 
and with such a proud destiny before it, is our own 
grand and glorious, old Anglo-Saxon — " Our mother 
Tongue" Here is the grand focus for the Unity of 
Language — for the World's Brotherhood. 

Let us freely, fully, and frankly, look at a few facts, 
to justify us in our position. 

A peculiar, nay, a special Providence of God, is 
seen in the very formation of our Language, clearly 
indicating the purpose of God, as to its high, and hon- 
ored, destiny. This is just as clearly indicated, as 
the special Providence, in the miraculous confusion of 
Language, on the plains of Shinar, indicated a purpose, 
relating to the destiny of man. Ours is a composite 
Language, just as we are a composite people— -made up 
of Anglo-Saxons, Anglo-Normans, and other acces- 
sions, from various quarters. The great basis of our 
race, is a compound of Angles and Saxons — forming 
a noble blood — a sterling race, of unbounded cour- 
age, daring, and enterprise — a people never conquered* 
So, the basis of our Language is, Anglo-Saxon, while 
it has made all the Languages of earth tributary to it, 
the great reservoir of all Languages. It is enriched, 
ennobled, and strengthened, by the flowing in of all 



GOD IN LANGUAGE. 



243 



other Languages. And hence, while they are becoming 
more and more depleted — and are rapidly being ex- 
hausted, to their utter extinction, ours is growing 
more and more exuberant and powerful, showing that 
it is destined by God, to be the universal Language of 
man. 

Great Britain was the original home of this Lan- 
guage, And hence, when Christianity breathed upon 
it, with its life-giving power — like Jehovah breathing 
into the nostrils of the first man — our Language " be- 
came a living soul" — and from thenceforward Chris- 
tianity and Civilization, clothed themselves in this 
Language, as their favorite vehicle. And Great Br itain 
at once became the great Civilizer, and Christianizer, 
of the world. In a word, our language became the 
Language of missions, to the whole earth — and from 
every " Language, kindred, tongue, and people," of her 
babbling millions, came up the "Macedonian cry," 
* come over and help us" Come, with your Language, 
your Civilization, and your Christianity, and shower 
upon us their richest benefits. Thus a world-wide 
field was opened, and our fathers felt and saw, of a 
truth, that "the field was the world" 

But Britannia's territorial limits, and her resources, 
were inadequate to the full accomplishment of the 
great and noble mission of the Language. And hence, 
God in his providence, " changed the base " — and the 



244 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



New World — our Continent, was discovered, and peo- 
pled — Columbus, the "World-Finder" under a spe- 
cial Providence, prepared the way for still prouder 
achievements. This Continent discovered, God peo- 
pled it with a noble stock — a "peculiar people" — of 
the very best material, sifted from all nations — but 
still preserving the Anglo Saxon base. And here, with 
territorial limits, vast and extensive, resources un- 
bounded, enterprise and energy, without a parallel, a 
nation rises, in all its colossal grandeur, with free in- 
stitutions, and a general Government, covering the 
continent, and in every way compatible with the high- 
est development of humanity, and the redemption of 
the race from thrallclom — and all using the same rich 
vehicle of thought, baptized at a Christian font, and 
thus consecrated to God and his cause. It is thus, 
our nation stands forth, on the loftiest summit of 
earth, as a beacon-light to all the world — all radiant 
with the flashing glories of Christianity, gleaming out 
from "the mountain of the Lord's house." And all 
this magnificence and grandeur, pertaining to the 
elevation and happiness of man, is carried forward 
through the medium of this composite Language of 
ours. No marvel, then, that our Language should 
swallow up all others. Since God first baptized it, Pa- 
ganism, and Idolatry, have never breathed upon it, or 
blighted it — no, no, nor never will. It is God's chosen 



GOD IN LANGUAGE. 



245 



reservoir for "Unity in Language" — the grand me- 
dium for bringing about the designed, universal fra- 
ternity of man — the Civilization, and Christianization, 
of the whole human race. 

This Language, comes down to us, like some mag- 
nificent army of occupation, sweeping all before it — 
gleaming with the armor, and banners of every race 
of man that has been mightiest on earth — all forming 
one grand army of invasion and occupation, to people 
and occupy, rivers, lakes, and seas — islands and con- 
tinents, from the equator to either pole, with an 
Anglo-Saxon Civilization, and Christianity, culminat- 
ing in the highest perfection of humanity. Behold ! 
This grand army passes in review before us. See 
there — central in its moving columns, we behold the 
stately, stalwart forms, of the Anglo-Saxon, in their 
shining Teutonic livery — and there, glittering upon 
one of its wings, we see the nodding plumes, and 
prancing steeds of the Norman- Frank, as he links 
his fiery chivalry, with the compact squadrons of the 
Anglo-Saxons. And lo ! on the other wing, we behold 
the stately, and the solid columns of Rome, the com- 
pact, and brightly-polished, phalanxes of Greece, the 
stern and awfully solemn, and sublime tribes of the 
Hebrew, and the gay and gorgeous array of the Ori- 
entals. My God ! — God of battles ! What an army, 
for the world's occupation ! And all these elements — 



246 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



these well-arranged troops, sanctified by " the Gospel 
of the grace of God" are moving on, and onward 
still, steadily, bravely, heroically, and yet calmly — all 
in unbroken march, with firm and defiant step, on 
and still ^on, over the old plains of Europe, the rich 
and luxuriant continent of America — through certain 
portions of Ada, Africa, and Australia — and with 
resistless force, and unmistakable certainty, are car- 
rying the Language, the Literature, the Science, the 
Civilization, and the Religion, of the Anglo-Saxon, to 
the very ends of the earth — thus binding the family 
of man, into one common brotherhood, and teaching 
them to chant, in one common anthem, in one common 
Language, of "Allelulia! For the Lord God omnip- 
otent reigneth." Such is our proud destiny, if teue 
to ourselves, true to our Language, and true to the 
Christianity of our Father's God. Through our instru- 
mentality, as the chosen race, through the chosen, 
elect Language, "the mountain of the Lord's house, is 
being established in the top of the mountains, and 
exalted above the hills, and all nations are flowing 
into it." The millennial day is approaching — even 
the confederation of nations, in one Language, rejoic- 
ing in the brotherhood of the race. 

It now amounts to demonstration, that it is God's 
grand design, again to make Language one. This 
world is not forever to remain a "Babel" — nor "Poly- 



GOD IN LANGUAGE. 



247 



fflotic" — but "Unity of Language" shall make earth 
like Heaven, and all mankind, from prattling child- 
hood, to hoary age, shall join in perfect euphony, and 
heavenly harmony, to hymn the praise of God, and, 

" Bring forth the royal diadem, 
And crown him Lord of all : " 

And thus, all worship God in the same Language, in 
the same " mountain of the Lord's house." 

How transcendently exalted our mission as a na- 
tion ! In Language, in Government, and in Religion, 
transcendently exalted ! Ours is a mission for Hu- 
manity, and for God. And now, "If I forget thee, 
O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. 
If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to 
the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem 
above my chief joy." Such was the pious, patriotic 
exclamation of David, when his heart was all aglow, 
and his spirit stirred within him. And w T ith strong 
feelings, akin to those which fired the heart of the 
matchless Bard of Israel, my heart exclaims, Amer- 
ica, my country, " with all thy faults I love thee still." 
Among all the nations of earth, there is none like 
unto thee. Forget thee? No, never! Rather, "let 
my right hand forget her cunning," and rather than 
refuse to plead thy cause, "let my tongue cleave 
unto the roof of my mouth." 0, my America, I will 



248 



DISCOURSES FEOM THE PULPIT. 



" remember thee, above my chief joy," and forever 
glory, in the proud and undying honors that await 
thee, if thou art only true to thyself, as the great 
patron of civilization and Christianity. To rebel 
against thee, and to seek thy overthrow, is even worse 
than the bold and daring rebellion of "Nimrod, the 
mighty hunter," on the plains of Shinar, with all its 
gross idolatry, and hellish crime ! Shall not the God 
w T ho "put a hook in Leviathan's jaw," and confounded 
the rebellious hosts of Nimrod, interpose in thy be- 
half, confound, and " clothe thine enemies with shame, 
while upon thee, thy crown shall flourish," and thy 
name and glory be continued " while the sun and 
moon endure " — while " all nations shall be blessed in 
thee" — and "all nations shall call thee blessed!" 

Such are our fond and cherished hopes for our 
country. What ! can it be, that American citizens, 
rocked in her cradle, raised up to manhood, in her 
school-houses, and churches, under her fostering care ; 
and taught to look out, as Christian statesmen, upon 
the proud destiny that awaits her, and her Language, 
will ever again be induced, in any considerable num- 
bers, to band themselves together for her overthrow, 
or the dismemberment of any of her family of states? 
Withered, forever withered, be the hand, raised to 
dim a star, or erase a stripe, from her ever-glorious 
escutcheon — her world-renowned flag, pride of the 



GOB IN LANGUAGE. 



249 



patriot, and beacon-light to the down-trodden and 
oppressed, every-wkere. Overthrow this Government, 
and another "Babel" — or " confusion worse con- 
founded," would ensue — the scenes on the plains of 
Shinar, on the banks of the Euphrates, would be re- 
enacted, and the Civilization, and Christian Evangeli- 
zation of the world, would be retarded for ages. If 
" Freedom shrieked, when Kosciusko fell," how bitter 
would be her agonizing wailings, if this Government 
should fall. Her fondest hopes for humanity, would 
be crushed, if not utterly extinguished ! May heaven 
avert such a direful calamity ! 

But, a brighter, higher, and holier, destiny awaits 
the Government of our country. The gallant and 
heroic Army and Navy of the Union, if nothing else, 
under God, will preserve us from overthrow, and the 
Providence of God, and the wisdom of our fathers, 
by which the Government was founded, shall be fully 
vindicated, in our perpetuity — still more, in our ex- 
tension, over the whole continent — so that upon this 
broad base of a ivhole continent, we will rear the ros- 
trum, upon ivMch, and from ivhicli, we will preach 
Civilization, and Liberty — u Jesus, and the resurrec- 
tion" to all nations. And after such lofty and God- 
like achievements, when God marshals the nations, 
under the banner of the Cross, for the grand millen- 
nial shout, over the fall of Babylon, and the kingdom 



250 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



of darkness, and to proclaim the year of jubilee — the 
redemption of the world — our American Zion, shall 
be the central corps, and stand in front of the "sac- 
ramental host/' with her "'stars and stripes" stream- 
ing over her, the admiration of all — and on that great 
coronation day of the sons of God, she shall lead the 
van, and be the first to take up the song of the an- 
gels to the shepherds, in her own Language, " Glory 
to God in the highest" — and then, in the same Lan- 
guage, nation after nation will join in, " Glory to God 
in the highest" — and so on, and on, it goes — swelling 
louder, and still louder — all in perfect harmony — no 
"Babel" there — but in the euphonious sounds of 
many voices, but one Language, the melody fills the 
valleys, bounds over the hills, echoes along the mount- 
ains, floats over rivers, lakes, and seas, belts the en- 
tire globe, and "earth rolls the rapturous hosanna 
round" — and then it rises upward, and still upward — 
higher, and still higher — it blends with the sweet 
music of the spheres, and only culminates among the 
ranks of the redeemed in heaven, who are before the 
throne— " Glory to God in the highest. Peace on 
Earth, and good- will to men" — and heaven responds, 
"Amen" — and then, angels round about the throne, 
shout in the same strain, "Glory to God in the high- 
est — Peace on Earth, and good-will to men," and 
now, Earth repeats the loud "Amen" Hasten, 



GOD IN LANGUAGE. 



251 



hasten on that glad day, thou God of ages. Hasten 
it, ye ministers of Jesus — Hasten it, ye Churches of 
the living God — Statesmen of America, hasten it — 
Lovers of God and man, hasten it. It can soon be 
brought on, if the people only have "a mind to 
work" — and glorious victors' crowns, are already 
prepared, for the honored instruments in this great 
work. 

What a work is before the American Churches ! 
What honors await the American minister — the Amer- 
ican scholar — the American statesman — the American 
people! For us, and to us, — for our Language, and 
to our Language, " The field is the ivorlcl !" And now, 
while looking out from our lofty mount of observa- 
tion, " Say not ye, ' There are yet four months, and 
then cometh harvest:' Behold, I say unto you, Lift 
up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are 
white already to harvest." Let us rush into the field, 
both to reap, and soiv, cheered on by the assurance 
of the Heavenly Master — the Lord of all — that " he 
that reapeth, receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto 
life eternal: that both he that soweth, and he that 
reajjeth, may rejoice together." 0, what encourage- 
ment to the laborer! To the scholar, to the states- 
man, to the philanthropist — and, above all, to the 
minister of our Lord Jesus Christ. Richest honors, 
from earth and heaven, cluster around the head of the 



252 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



laborer— and a crown of eternal life, in the City of 
God, awaits hirn. 

This day — with the glory of this century shining 
all around us — belonging to the noble Wood of the 
Anglo-Saxon — using the chosen Language of God, in 
its matchless energy, and power — with the broad con- 
tinent of America, for our base of operations, we ex- 
ultantly exclaim, from our hearts, " Thanh God that 
we live when, and where, we do." We stand up, the 
beacon-lights for the world, and are to be the honored 
instrumentalities for its evangelization! This mighty 
and magnificent Government, on a continent unpar- 
alleled in territorial limits, productiveness of soil, 
varied climate, salubrious air, rich resources, exhaust- 
less wealth — peopled with the mightiest race on earth, 
for energy and enterprise, pledged, in the very form 
and genius of their Government, to an undying devo- 
tion to Education and Religion, and every thing that 
tends to the elevation, and well-being, of man; — is, 
even now, the "Mission Room" of the whole earth. 
In it, meet the " Board of Managers" and the " Com- 
mittee of Ways and Means" to plan the conversion 
of the w^orld, devise the " ways and means " of ex- 
ecuting the plan — and from this room, are to go 
forth — nay, are now going forth, a living army of the 
heralds of the Cross, to scatter the " leaves from the 
tree of life, for the healing of the nations" in all the 



GOD IN LANGUAGE. 



253 



earth abroad. This palatial "Mission Room," with 
lofty dome, upon which glitter and gleam the stars of 
heaven, is well supplied with printing presses, Bibles, 
and books ; and statesmen and scholars, philosophers, 
and philanthropist, all vie with each other, in contrib- 
uting to its resources, and in extending to it a fos- 
tering care; while its "Board of Managers," and 
"Committee of Ways and Means," are taking care to 
encourage and foster the rising School-houses, and 
Academies, Colleges, and Churches, all over the land, 
which in their turn, are lavishing their contributions 
upon the great and grand Central Agency; and her 
workmen look out from her lofty dome, and still cry, 
" The field is the world." Our Language, our Litera- 
ture, and our Religion, are, for all the world. Surely 
we may, and should, exultantly exclaim, "Happy is 
that people, that is in such a case; yea, happy is that 
people, whose God is the Lord." 

Again, we thank God, that we live when, and where 
we do. This is the age, and this the place, for great 
and glorious achievements for God, and humanity. 
This is the age for moral heroes — and this the place 
for heroic deeds of noble daring. And a laudable 
Christian ambition — nay, "the love of Christ con- 
straineth us" to become heroes in the strife — win 
souls to Christ — and be workmen for God, in rearing 
up, and ornamenting "the mountain of the Lord's 



254 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



house on the top of the mountains," and then share 
in the ecstasy of angels, while we behold " all nations 
flowing into it." 

And to all such laborers, in the American Zion — 
co-workers together with God — " an entrance shall be 
ministered'' — yea, "abundantly ministered, into the 
everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ." That is, they shall enter heaven in triumph, 
u with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads " — 
and having u turned many to righteousness, they shall 
shine as stars, in the kingdom of God forever." 

Thus have we seen " God in Language" at the 
" tower of Babel" and in "the mountain of the Lord's 
House." The theme is transcendently grand and glo- 
rious — too great for one discourse. We have simply 
brought you into the vestibule, and leave you now, to 
push forward, and explore the gorgeous palace within. 
It will richly repay you, for all your study and re- 
search — it will kindle afresh, the fires of your patri- 
otism, increase your love to God, and man, and even 
highten the bliss of heaven. 



JEREMIAH IX THE P0TTER*S HOUSE. 



255 



DISCOURSE X. 

JEREMIAH IX THE POTTER'S HOUSE. 

(day of national humiliation and prayer.) 

" The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 
Arise and go down to the potter s house, and there I will cause 
thee to hear my words." — Jeremiah xviii, 1, 2, 

Jeremiah exercised the prophetic office, from 629 
to 587 years before Christ. This was from the thir- 
teenth year of the reign of Josiah, until after the 
Babylonish captivity. It was a time of general apos- 
tasy from God — of Idolatry, and abounding ivicked- 
yiess. Yet, as a faithful minister of God, he fearlessly 
discharges the duties of his office. And yet, all his 
messages, though often terrible, were delivered with 
remarkable tenderness, and tears — so much so, that 
he has won the sobriquet, of " the weeping Prophet." 

The text, introduces one of the series of prophetic 
discourses, delivered during the wicked and violent 
reign of Jelioiaehim. And without attempting a mi- 
nute exposition of the whole passage, we would simply 



256 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



endeavor to bring out the points of practical instruc- 
tion, and lay them before you, with such arguments 
and illustrations, as will make them subserve the 
grand design of God's Holy Word — " written, afore- 
time, for our instruction." 

The great lesson taught, is, that God deals with 
mankind, not only as isolated individuals, " every man 
giving an account of himself to God" — but also, "as 
members one of another" — as bound together by mani- 
fold ties, and relations — such as, the domestic, the re- 
ligious, and the political.. This could not be other- 
wise, in the moral government of God, inasmuch as 
all the good, and evil, we experience, come to us in 
virtue of our connection with others — and as the 
effect of their conduct. And for this reason, God 
allows no man to seek his own good, alone — and in 
the language, and spirit, of the cold, selfish, misan- 
thropic, and murderous Cain, to say, "Am I my 
brothers keeper?" But we are to consider our vari- 
ous relations to others, and the effects of our conduct 
upon those with whom we are associated, in the do- 
mestic, religious, or political relationships of life. 

All this, Jeremiah learned, when he went down to 
the " potter's house," and saw a vessel, "marred in 
the hands of the potter," and heard God's comment 
thereon. And on the whole scope of the passage, we 
raise the following proposition: 



JEREMIAH IN THE POTTER'S HOUSE. 257 



I. When God establishes a people, under peculiar 
advantages, and confers upon them the true religion, 
he claims a property in them, a dominion over them, 
and a right to use them, for the interests of his king- 
dom. They are, as " clay in the hands of the potter" 

In this world, God has set up a peculiar kingdom, 
under our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the constituted 
Head. It is different from the kingdom of nature, 
which of course belongs to God, as the Creator, Pre- 
server, Owner, and "Lord of all." This pecidiar 
kingdom, is called "an everlasting kingdom, wherein 
dwelleth righteousness.'' It is the kingdom of grace. 
Christ is the Head of this economy of grace to men. 
And all things, in heaven and in earth, are in his 
hands — possessed, and ruled over, by him, for the 
promotion of the interests of his kingdom. Hence, 
he is called "the Heir," and "Lord" of the whole 
creation. " Christ is all, and in all." 

When all this is made known to a people, by the 
diffusion of the word of God among them, they are 
thereby brought under obligation, in all their varied 
relations, to acknowledge the supreme dominion of 
Christ, and employ the whole energies of their being, 
for the promotion of his kingdom of grace on earth — 
Families, as families — the Church, as a Church — a 
Nation, as a Nation. 

As to the Family, the Bible teaches us, that its 
22 



258 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



very constitution is "in the Lord" And hence he 
has ordained, that the dwelling place of every family, 
should be, a "Beth-El" — that is, a House of God. 
Every household should be a Church, worshiping, and 
serving Christ — with an altar, upon which the fire 
shall never go out, but be always ready, for the offer- 
ing up of the " morning and evening sacrifice" — the 
head of the household, being the officiating priest. 
And when God's purpose, in this regard, is fully car- 
ried out, the very children playing in the streets, the 
young men, and maidens, in their pastimes, together 
with the fathers, and the mothers, " shall all be holy 
unto the Lord : " — and not only " upon the vessels of 
the Lord's house," but also upon the vessels of every 
habitation, all over this redeemed earth, and upon the 
very " ornaments of the horses, shall be written, 
Holiness unto the Lord!" Who, then, will not 
exclaim with Joshua, "As for me, and my house, we 
will serve the Lord?" 

As to the Churchy our position will be readily 
granted, in all its force. Indeed, this is her own 
profession. She is established, and exists, for this 
avowed object — the advancement of Christ's kingdom 
of grace to man — its universal triumph. For this she 
lives and labors. 

Of the Church, it may be said, as of its member- 
ship, "Ye are not your own, but ye are bought with 



JEREMIAH W THE POTTEITS HOUSE. 



259 



a price" — " Redeemed, not with silver and gold, but 
with the precious blood of Christ, that ye might be 
sanctified, and holy unto Grod." She is called, "the 
Bride, the Lamb's wife" — Christ is the "Head of the 
Church" — oivns it — exercises dominion over it, and 
uses it, as his chosen instrumentality, to spread the 
Bible, and " preach the Gospel to every creature." 
And the Church admits the claim, and glories in the 
mission to which she is called. And any Church, 
failing to meet this claim, or losing sight of her obli- 
gation, becomes the vessel, "marred in the hands of 
the potter." 

But, as to States, or Xations, this doctrine is not so 
well understood, nor so readily acknowledged. Still, 
if our proposition is well taken, and if any thing is to 
be learned from Jeremiah's visit to the potter's house, 
Christ has a property in, and dominion over, States, 
and Nations, as such, and they are under obligations 
to promote the interests of his kingdom — and must do 
so, or become "marred in the hands of the potter." 

But whenever this subject is mentioned, the doc- 
trine of a " Union of Church and State," rises up like 
a fearful specter, to haunt the imagination. But, be 
not alarmed. We, too, hold that a "Union of Church 
and State," is to be deprecated. It is an unlawful 
combination, and in violation of Heaven's ordinance. 
Whenever, and wherever it has existed, it has wasted 



260 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



the nations, and despoiled the Church of God. It 
is fatal to the interests of both. Indeed, each dies 
in the other's embrace — thus clearly indicating that, 
"What God hath ordained, as separate institutions, 
no man should join together." Civil government, is a 
Divine institution, distinct from the Church. Indeed, 
the Family, the Church, and Civil Government, are all 
Divine Institutions, yet each separate, and distinct 
from the other. Each has its own sphere — and each 
should be kept in its own orbit; yet, all revolving 
around one common center — Christ — who instituted, 
and owns them all — claims the right to use them, for 
the promotion of his glory, in the advancement of the 
kingdom of grace, to its final triumph, over all the 
race of mankind. 

The Church herself, has the greatest cause to dep- 
recate a union with the State. Although Infidelity is 
ever on the alert, warning the people against "Priest- 
craft" and a "union of Church and State," as though 
they were the special guardians of the rights of the 
people, and the glory of the State. Yet the Church 
has more to fear, than the State, from such an alli- 
ance. As Ecclesiastics, we devoutly pray that God 
would destroy this Babylon, wherever it exists, judge 
the beastial powers of the earth, and the mother of 
harlots, with all her harlot daughters, who have made 
themselves drunk with the blood of the saints: — and 



JEREMIAH IN THE POTTER'S HOUSE. 



261 



that the Church may stand forth, in her own purity, 
and loveliness— distinct from the State. 

Still, States, and Nations, as such, in their own 
proper character — in their own proper sphere of ac- 
tion — with all their means and emoluments, like every 
thing else, God has given to Christ, the Head of the 
Church, to rule over, and use them, in subserving the 
interests of his kingdom, and to exact of them an 
acknowledgment, that he is " King of kings, and 
Lord of lords." Even " the heathen are given him 
for an inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the 
earth, for a possession." Daniel says, " There was 
given unto him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, 
that all people, nations, and languages, should serve 
him." David says, " Thou hast put all things under 
his feet." Jesus, himself, says, "All power is given 
unto me" — and, "By me, princes rule, and nobles, 
yea, all the judges of the earth." Paul says, "At 
the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, and every 
tongue confess." St. John says, " He is the Prince 
of the kings of the earth." Now r with all this array 
of testimony before us, we can no longer doubt, but 
that Christ has a property in the State, or Nation, as 
well as in the Church, and in the family. He claims 
dominion over all, and demands that they serve him, 
in their capacity, as an aggregation of individuals — 
and that each, in its proper sphere, should advance 



262 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



the interests of bis kingdom of grace — just in pro- 
portion to the advantages conferred upon them, in 
their establishment as a people. 

Israel was God's chosen nation. He raised up, 
and established the Commonwealth, and conferred 
upon them the true religion — the knowledge, and 
worship, of the true God. Of this there can be no 
question. In point of privilege, they were exalted to 
heaven. And in the days of their glory, they were 
the great luminary of Civilization and Religion — as 
God intended they should be. And when the nations 
of heathendom, all around, would inquire, "What 
advantage, then, hath the Jew T ? or what profit is 
there in circumcision?" they would promptly reply, 
"Much, every way; chiefly, because that unto them 
were committed the Oracles of God." In a word, 
God raised them up, a greatly privileged, and a highly 
honored nation — a happy people, "whose God was 
the Lord." 

And hence, Jehovah claimed a property in the na- 
tion, and a right to use it, in building up his kingdom 
upon earth. Yea, he demanded that they employ 
their means, and energies, for the advancement of his 
glory among the nations. And if faithful, in answer- 
ing the end for which they were raised up, he prom- 
ised "to build and to plant" them, and make them a 
praise in all the earth. But, by their terrible rebel- 



JEREMIAH IK THE POTTER-'S HOUSE. 263 



lion, and idolatrous departure from the true God, they 
filled the cup of their iniquity, and brought upon the 
nation, the fearful destroying judgments of God, which 
has scattered them to the four winds of earth: — and 
as a people, to this day, they are withering under the 
curse, and frown of God — that God who will have 
fruit of a nation, as the only means of insuring its 
perpetuity, and glory. 

Thus you see, the history of the Jewish nation is 
at once, both the argument, and illustration, of the 
doctrine of this passage — the doctrine taught Jere- 
miah, in the potter's house. 

We pass over, for the present, the Family, and the 
Church, as examples of the nature and truth of the 
doctrine, and proceed to the main object of this dis- 
course — the application of the subject to our own 
nation — " The United States of America" 

If there is such a thing as, a God in History," as 
no man doubts, who believes in the existence of a 
Great Supreme — his hand is clearly seen, in the w^hole 
history of this government. Jehovah God, planted 
this nation — and it is " a plant of his own right hand 
planting." In point of privilege, and power, it is ex- 
alted to heaven. He even selected the site, upon 
which to found it. Columbus, the "world-finder," 
discovered this country, at an auspicious era — just 
about the time of the discovery of printing, the revival 



264 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



of Utters, and the great Reformation — when the enter- 
prise, and liberty-loving spirit, of the world, needed, 
and anxiously desired a great outlet, and a base, upon 
which to found a great empire of truth and justice, 
consecrated to freedom of thought, and human liberty. 
This peerless continent, was selected as the site. And 
what a site ! It is said by one, to be " bounded by 
two oceans, and five Mediterranean seas." But it is 
virtually, ocean-bound. In territorial limits, without 
a parallel — in climate, richly varied, from the snow- 
clad mountains, and bracing air of Xew England, to 
the_ lemon groves, and soft balmy breezes, of the 
southern gulf. In agricultural resources, and varied 
products, surpassing any other land, gilded by the sun, 
and baptized by the rains of heaven — and withal, 
abounds in every variety of richest fruits, and sweet- 
est flowers. Again, we repeat, AThat a site, upon 
which to plant a nation ! 

Look now, at the emigrants, who settled the Colo- 
nies! They were sifted out, and selected, from the na- 
tions of the old world — a choice selection — educated, 
drilled, and disciplined, by Divine Providence, with a 
special view to their becoming the founders of a great 
nation. They were strongly imbued with the princi- 
ples of Religion, Education, and Free Institutions — 
a people of genius, energy, enterprise, and Christian 
piety. They claimed the Bible, as Magna Charta, 



JEREMIAH m THE POTTERS HOUSE. 265 



upon which to found a Nation, for God and humanity. 
And hence, even in the fresh virgin wilderness of the 
Continent, they chanted their Te Deum laudamus, and 
consecrated the whole land to Jehovah God. 

With such a site, and such a people, God raises up 
a Nation. In due time, he gives them their M Inde- 
pendence'* — the Immortal "Declaration/' of which, 
they fearlessly published to the world. The blessing 
of God upon the colonial armies, culminating in the 
victory at Yorktown, over the legions of Cornwallis, 
made good, and sealed forever, the "American Decla- 
ration of Independence" — and we stood forth to the 
gaze of the world, as "A Nation born to God in a 
day." The same Divine hand is seen, still further, in 
giving us a Government, the brightest and the best, 
over which the sun in heaven, ever rolled his golden 
axis. With such views of our country, we are made 
to exclaim, "The lines have fallen to us in pleasant 
places, and verily, we have a good heritage !" Within 
ourselves, we have every thing necessary for the sus- 
tenance, and glory of a great nation — and then, re- 
sources sufficient to supply the wants of others, so 
that the panting, starving millions of earth, may never 
appeal to us, with a " Macedonian cry," in vain. 

Under the guidance, and guardian care of our God, 
see how this nation has spread out, and grown. Al- 
ready it extends from ocean to ocean, and from the 
23 



266 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



Southern Gulf, to the Northern Lakes. And he has 
dotted it all over with Churches and School-houses — 
Colleges and Academies, Asylums and Publishing 
Houses — so much so, that we are to the nations of the 
earth, what Goshen was in Egypt — there is " light in 
all our dwellings." And if our nation is a tree, "its 
leaves, are for the healing of the nations." Our 
wealth is exhaustless, our commerce unbounded, and 
our free institutions, the pride and glory of Civiliza- 
tion and Christianity. Already it has been considered 
the proudest boast of man, to be able to say, in ver- 
ity, U I am an American Citizen!" Our Flag, on 
land or sea, is the proud emblem of all that is mighty, 
and sublime. It is the banner of beauty, and grand- 
eur, w T ith its streaming stripes, and its broad field of 
azure blue, bespangled with the stars of heaven — for 
God has set them there — and wondering angels, ad- 
mire it as the ensign of freedom, floating over the 
homes of teeming millions of freemen, who bow the 
knee to none but God. And high above the flag-staff, on 
lofty wing, soars the proud bird of J ove — the Ameri- 
can Eagle — screaming out defiance, to the belligerent 
nations of earth, who would, by threatening menace, 
seek to encroach upon her rights, cramp her energies, 
or otherwise interfere, with her onward progress, in 
her great mission of giving commerce, wealth, civiliza- 
tion, and Christianity, to the world. • 



JEREMIAH EST THE POTTER'S HOUSE. 267 



what a country ! What a Flag ! What a proud 
destiny ! if true to ourselves, and our God — our fa- 
thers' God — who made us all we are, as a nation! 

With our past history, and our present status, before 
us, we can not mistake the design of God in the 
establishment of the nation. It is as clearly marked, 
and as well defined, as it w T as in the case of Israel, 
and Judah. Our mission is evident. And the God 
of nations, who raised us up, and made us to " dwell 
safely, every man under his vine, and under his fig- 
tree, from Dan, even to Beersheba," claims as his 
right, that, as a nation, we fulfill our mission. We 
are to stand out, with a distinctive character, as a 
specimen of a Christian nation, and thus show forth 
the glory of God. We are to be the beacon-light of 
Civilization, and Christianity, to the world — a mis- 
sionary nation, to carry the Gospel, to the ends of the 
earth. We are to demonstrate the great problem, of 
"man's capability of self-government,''' under the reign 
of Christ. In a word, we are to be the great agent, 
in "filling the earth with the knowledge of the glory 
of God/' 

Having established us, as his "peculiar people," 
God hath given us to Christ, as his inheritance, and 
claims that we "honor the Son, even as we honor 
the Father," if we would insure his blessing, in our 
national perpetuity, and glory. 



268 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



We are now prepared to raise a second Proposi- 
tion, upon this lesson. 

II. When a people thus peculiarly favored, 

DEPART FROM GOD — OR FAIL TO ACCOMPLISH THE END 
FOR WHICH HE RAISED THEM UP — THE DESTROYING 
JUDGMENTS OF GOD ARE IMPENDING OVER THEM, WITH 
ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY. 

The truth of this Proposition, will be evident to all 
who will go down with Jeremiah to the potter's house. 
There, he sees the potter at work with the clay, on 
the wheel, and the vessel he was making, becomes 
"marred" in his hands. He then changes his plan, 
and makes of it, "another vessel" as seemed fit to 
him. And now, God says, " Behold, as the clay is, in 
the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, house of 
Israel. And at what instant I shall speak concerning 
a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to 
plant it, if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my 
voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I 
said I would benefit them. I will scatter them as 
with an east wind, before the enemy; I will show 
them the back, and not the face, in the day of their 
calamity." Here is the proof of our Proposition. 
Enlargement of the argument, would be a superfluity. 

The afflictive dispensations of the Providence of 
God, are not all alike, but are essentially different, in 



JEREMIAH IN THE POTTER'S HOUSE. 269 



their character, and design. Some are merely dis- 
ciplinary — designed as means of " correction, reproof, 
and instruction in righteousness." Such, are the 
chastisements of a father's rod — the pledges of a 
father's love. But others are vindicatory — and are 
designed to vindicate the justice of God. They, are 
his destroying judgments, in which, "the Judge of all 
the earth," gives us an earnest of "the wrath to 
come" — the beginning of endless sorrow. "Thus 
saith the Lord God, this Jerusalem ! I have set it in 
the midst of the nations, and countries round about 
her; and she hath changed my judgments into wick- 
edness, more than the nations, and my statutes, 
more than the countries that are round about her : 
for they have refused my judgments, and my stat- 
utes, they have not walked in them. Therefore, thus 
saith the Lord God, Behold, I, even I, am against 
thee, and will execute judgment in the midst of 
thee, in the sight of the nations." And to show that 
these judgments are certainly impending, he says, "A 
sword is sharpened, and furbished : it is sharpened 
to make a sore slaughter, and furbished that it may 
glitter." Such are the fearful threatenings of Al- 
mighty God, as revealed to the nations, as a timely 
warning. And as a faithful herald, we give them 
in the very language of God's own Book, that you 
may learn how terrible, and how certain, are God's 



270 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



vindicatory judgments, on the rebellious nations of 
earth. 

The Divine Administration, in this regard, is on 
this principle: — Jehovah God, has made all things for 
his glory — and he will have service of his creatures, 
or else reject them, and cast them away. He will 
have fruit of the works of his hands, or else, they 
shall be destroyed. The parable of the Barren Fig- 
tree, is a case in point — " Behold, these three years, 
I have come seeking fruit of this fig-tree, and find 
none: cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?" It 
answered not the purpose for which it was raised up, 
and hence, must be destroyed, as a useless incum- 
brance. Isaiah presents, and illustrates the same 
doctrine, in the parable of the Vineyard. The vine- 
yard was well planted, carefully hedged around, and 
cultivated with a master hand. And when, in proper 
season, the rich clusters of grapes were sought, lo, it 
was found to bring forth nothing but "wild grapes" 
Now the husbandman takes away the hedge, that it 
may be eaten up ; and breaks down the wall, that it 
may be trodden under foot. Thus, the vineyard is 
laid waste, because it failed to answer the purpose for 
which it was planted. And in like manner, God deal3 
with families, Churches, and Nations — and such is the 
great lesson taught us, in Jeremiah's visit to the pot- 
ter's house. 



JEKEMIAH IN THE POTTER'S HOUSE. 271 



Before these vindicatory judgments break upon us, 
in all their destroying fury , by a careful observation 
of "the signs of the times," we may tell when, they 
are impending over a nation. For example. Does a 
majority of the people disregard, or ignore the proper 
end, for which the God of nations raised them up, as 
a people ? Does a general Atheistical spirit prevail — 
attended with greatly abounding wickedness, of all 
kinds? Is there any thing like a wide-spread cor- 
ruption of the true religion, attended with the great 
loss of its life and power? Does a spirit of selfish 
aggrandizement, and recklessness of moral obligation, 
prevail among "the powers that be" — the rulers of 
the nation — diffusing itself among the people, under 
the specious pretext, that " corporations have no 
souls" — meaning thereby, that corporations, or na- 
tions, have no moral obligation — have no moral re- 
sponsibility, or accountability ? If we observe all 
these signs, we may reckon, with absolute certainty, 
that God's judgments are impending. And men are 
about to be taught, whether nations have any moral 
character, as nations. This, men will learn, if not 
before, when they see nations held to a strict ac- 
countability. "The signs of the times" will tell us, 
when the cup of our iniquity is well-nigh filled. Care- 
ful attention, will reveal to us, in the distance, the ris- 
ing cloud of "the blackness of darkness," and we may, 



272 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



perhaps, hear the struggling thunders, muttering in 
its angry bosom, fringed around with the lightning's 
glare — all, all portending, the breaking forth of the 
fearful storm of God's wrath, upon our devoted heads ! 

that the nations would take timely warning.! 
that they would turn to God, with all their heart, and 
thus avert his judgments ! 

How is it with our nation ? my country! "With 
all thy faults, I love thee still." There is none like 
unto thee. I bind thee to my heart, and exclaim, 
with the patriot bard of Israel, " If I forget thee, O 
Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning ! If 
I do not remember thee, above my chief joy, let my 
tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth!" 

We have already seen the hand of God in raising 
us up, as a people ; and that we can not mistake the 
design of God, in planting the nation. Our great 
mission is evident. And now, it is a question of 
awful import, whether we are accomplishing God's 
purpose in our establishment? If we fail to accom- 
plish this grand purpose, we become u marred in the 
hands of the potter," and God's judgments are im- 
pending over the nation. 

1 would not be swift, or reckless, in bringing in a 
bill of indictment against my country. But simply 
ask the nation, to look for herself, at the fearful 
record she has been making, and then pronounce 



JEREMIAH EST THE POTTER'S HOUSE. 



273 



judgment for herself, in the light of Kevealed Truth. 
Look, for example, upon the disposition, on the part 
of many — yea, upon the part of some, upon whom the 
nation has conferred her " offices of trust and profit," 
to utterly ignore the hand of God, in raising up the 
nation, and establishing the Government — as though 
the nation were Godless. They set at naught, the 
counsels of our Lord Jesus Christ, as to our great 
mission, and the purpose of God, in our establish- 
ment. In a spirit of self-laudation, they have said, 
66 Is not this great Babylon, that we have builded?" 
In our wild, and almost frantic race, after wealth, 
fame, and personal aggrandizement, there has been, 
at least, a practical ignoring, of the Great Supreme 
Power, who is " God over all, blessed forever." A 
Pagan — a heathen man — only a few years ago, made 
a visit to this country, as a traveler, and on his re- 
turn to his native land, said, "The people of the 
L T nited States are a strange people — they have no 
king, and they have no God!" And we must ad- 
mit, with shame, that practically, we give but too 
great occasion, for a casual observer to conclude, that 
we have no God! Terrible thought! "No God!" 
And that, too, among a people — a ''peculiar peo- 
ple" — raised up, sustained, guarded, enriched, and 
exalted to heaven, by his Almighty Power, and bound- 
less Goodness. 



274 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



A spirit of practical Atheism, is sure to result in 
abounding wickedness among the people, and thus 
comes to be. a naUono! sin. For while " Righteous- 
ness exalteth a nation," it is also true, that "sin is a 
reproach to any people" — and, "when the wicked bear 
rule, the land mourneth." 

As a specimen of national sins, take national Sab- 
bath-breaking. It may seem like a matter of small 
moment, to the thoughtless politician, but it is fear- 
fully ominous, to the man who reyeres God's holy law, 
and the sacredness of his commandments, to see this 
nation, as such, utterly disregarding the authority of 
God, when he says, "Remember the Sabbath-day, to 
keep it holy J 3 Blazing Sinai, in a yesture of clouds, 
and with thunders rolling oyer its summit, shook to 
its very center, when this Commandment was written 
on Tables of Stone — and Moses, when he proclaimed 
it to the people, while the earth was still quiyering 
beneath their feet, from the terrible shock from Sinai, 
says. I did exceedingly fear and quake." But, the 
people of this nation, in sportive jest, or with criminal 
indifference, witness the desecration of God's Holy Day. 
Ever and anon, the sessions of our National Congress, 
are prolonged, so as to embrace its sacred hours. The 
Flag, the proud ensign of the Government, floats over 
the dome of the Capitol, thus indicating to the dis- 
ciple of Jesus — the devout worshiper — as he wends 



JEREMIAH IN THE POTTER'S HOUSE. 



275 



his way to the Sanctuary of God, to engage in the 
services of the Holy Day, that the Representatives of 
the Nation — his own Representatives — are in session, 
engaged in legislating for a professedly Christian na- 
tion — a nation, who believe it was God the Lord, who 
said, in thunder, on the summit of trembling Sinai — 
"Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy /" 

We can not enumerate all our sins, which are of 
omission, as well as of commission. There is one, 
however, which, until of late years, even the Pulpit 
dared not mention, let alone, to openly denounce, with- 
out risking personal safety, as well as greatly " offend- 
ing ears polite." Indeed, this land is not without its 
martyrs to the cause of universal freedom. It is true, 
our "Declaration of Independence," announced that 
"All men are created equal," and that all are en- 
dowed by their Creator with the "inalienable rights, 
of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" — and 
we have heralded it to the nations of the world, that 
this is "Freedom's Land." We have inscribed it 
upon our banners, and woven it into our national an- 
thems, and songs, that we are the people, 

" With Freedom's soil, beneath our feet — 
And Freedom's banner, waving o'er us." 

And yet, with all this proud boast, as a nation, we 
have not only recognized, but patronized, and extended, 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



the dark dominions of "African Slavery." Like a 
cloud — a dark pall — it has hung over the land, and 
provoked the righteous judgments of Almighty God. 
It has been a foul blotch upon our "National Es- 
cutcheon," which the God of nations has been wash- 
ing out in blood. Lo ! "Ethiopia is stretching out her 
hands to God!" And the eventful day of Freedom, 
dawns at length. Its light already streaks the hori- 
zon, all around us — and it rises higher, and still 
higher — streaming upward, and still upward, and must 
soon culminate in noonday blaze, all over the heavens, 
and the people, every-where, shall be heard, " shout- 
ing the battle-cry of freedom." 

The wiping out of this reproach, may go far to- 
ward turning away the wrath of God, and will greatly 
assist us, in accomplishing God's purpose, in our es- 
tablishment. 

But how has it been with our Churches? As a 
general rule, we have maintained our orthodoxy, and 
the beautiful, symmetrical forms, of religion. Still, it 
is a painful truth, that many of the Churches have 
sacrificed their vitality, to form — and have measurably 
lost "the life and power" of religion. An alliance 
with the sordid spirit of the world, has been formed. 
Yes, in many cases, the Churches, like Samson, have 
been coquetted, and lulled to sleep, on the lap of the 
hypocritical Delilah. And it will be a mercy of God, 



JEREMIAH m THE POTTER'S HOUSE. 277 

if they do not find themselves shorn of their locks, and 
lose their eyes, when their Delilah, tauntingly cries out, 
" The Philistines be upon thee, Samson ! " that 
they would be timely warned, and roused from their 
slumbers, before it is too late — fly from Delilah's 
touch — and pray God, to breathe into their lovely 
forms, the life and power of a vital Christianity. Let 
the Watchman on the walls, " lift up his voice like a 
trumpet, cry aloud, and spare not/' 

"Awake, Jerusalem, awake! 

No longer in thy sins lie down ; 
The garment of salvation take, 

Thy beauty, and thy strength, put on." 

Let us never forget, that God raised up the Church, 
and that it is owned by Jesus Christ, who claims, as 
its Head, the right to rule over it, and employ all its 
resources, in advancing his kingdom of grace on earth. 
And if it fails, from a want of vitality, or any other 
cause, to answer the end of its establishment, it be- 
comes "marred in the hands of the potter" 

We are now prepared for our final Proposition, to 
be raised on the scope of the subject. 

III. The Rule, by which God deals with a peo- 
ple, IN SUCH CASES. 

This Rule, may be briefly stated thus : "If the peo- 
ple repent, the threatening judgments are averted; 



278 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



while, on the other hand, to persevere in disobedience, 
brings these judgments upon them, in sure and terrible 
destruction. 

By Repentance, we mean the turning away of the 
whole being of sinful men, from "sin and all ungod- 
liness," with deep contrition of spirit; and a coming 
back to an acknowledgment of God, and a course of 
obedience to his will. In a word, it is a return to 
God, in Jesus Christ, through faith in his name, and 
a reliance upon his meritorious sacrifice, offered upon 
the Cross, for the world's redemption. And this is 
clearly taught in this lesson, to Jeremiah in the pot- 
ter's house. God says to the prophet, "At what in- 
stant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concern- 
ing a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to 
destroy it; if that nation against whom I have pro- 
nounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the 
evil that I thought to do unto them." A nation thus 
repenting, and turning from their evil ways, will avert 
the destroying judgments threatened, and insure, in 
their stead, the Divine blessing, and be made "a ves- 
sel unto honor." 

This course adopted, and persevered in, breaks the 
fearful gloom that hung over the nation, hushes the 
rumbling thunder, which struggled to get free, from 
the turbid bosom of the angry storm-cloud of judg- 
ment — rolls back the threatening fury, which flashes 



JEREMIAH IN THE POTTER'S HOUSE. 279 

ruin, at an iniquitous people — and throws the gorgeous 
bow of promise, upon the clouds of the retiring tempest 
— and causes a clarion voice to echo over all the land, 
"Peace, be still." And now the nation, robed in in- 
nocence, and purity — yea, of national grandeur, sits 
down in peace " under her own vine and fig-tree, from 
Dan even to Beersheba," and chants forth in rapture, 
" Lord, I will praise thee : though thou wast angry 
with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou com- 
fortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will 
trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my 
strength, and my song; he also is become my salva- 
tion." 

But, on the other hand, if the people repent not — 
but persevere in their iniquity, God's judgments are 
sure to overtake them, sooner or later, in all their 
destroying force. He says to Jeremiah, " Behold, I 
will scatter them as with an east wind, before the 
enemy ; I will show them the back, and not the face, 
in the day of their calamity ! " 

These judgments shall overtake them, as soon 
as the nation's cup of iniquity is full. At that 
very moment, Jehovah will say to such nation, as he 
did to the Jews, under like circumstances, "All the 
righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood 
of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, son 
of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and 



280 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



the altar — Verily I say unto you, all these things 
shall come upon this generation. " And yet, even in 
the fury of judgment, his compassion is stirred, and 
he cries out, u O Jerusalem! Jerusalem! thou that 
killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent 
unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy chil- 
dren together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens 
under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your 
house is left unto you desolate ! For I say unto you, 
ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say — 
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." 

When once the decree goes forth, nothing can avert 
these judgments. No earthly refuge can hide us — 
no statesmanship — no military skill — no party plat- 
forms — no wisdom of cabinets — no executive genius, 
or power. None of these, nor all combined, can save 
us, w T hen God once stretches out his hand in judg- 
ment. "No covenant with Death, or league with 
Hell," can stand against the awful sw r eep of his wrath. 
Who can measure arms with Omnipotence ? or have 
we a voice to thunder like Him ? If need be, He can 
load his artillery with worlds, and marshal the very 
stars of Heaven in the fight. 

But how timely are the warnings of Heaven given. 
" Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom ; neither 
let the mighty man glory in his might; neither let the 
rich man glory in his riches ; but let him that glori- 



JEREMIAH IN THE POTTER'S HOUSE. 281 



eth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth 
me, that I am the Lord, that executeth loving -kind- 
ness, judgment and righteousness, in the earth." 

Retribution, to Nations, must come in this world, 
to vindicate God's justice — from the fact that it is 
only in the present mode of existence, that they are 
known, in their proper character, as Nations, or as an 
aggregation of individuals. In the day of final ac- 
counts, " every man must give account of himself to 
God." So that, in this world, nations must be pun- 
ished, or rewarded, according to their merit, or de- 
merit. And it is here, we may discern among nations, 
as we will among individuals, in the day of final judg- 
ment, " those who serve God, and those who serve 
him not." Upon the persistent rebellious Nation, he 
pours out the vials of his wrath, while he crowns the 
repenting, righteous Nation, with glory, honor, and 
perpetuity. 

My Brethren — My Fellow-Citizens of the United 
States of America — Awake, "Awake to Righteous- 
ness, and sin not." Jehovah, is God the Lord, and 
he will not give his glory to another. Let us then 
bestir ourselves, and look well to the interests of the 
rich inheritance, bequeathed to us by our fathers — the 
rich boon of a free Government — a Christian Nation. 
Let us never forget, that God, alone, is our Sanc- 
tuary, and we are only safe in Him. As Families, as 
24 



282 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 

Cliurches, and as a Nation, let us turn from our evil 
ways, and take shelter in our Sanctuary, and be safe. 
Take the timely admonition of Heaven: "Be wise 
now, therefore, ye kings: be instructed, ye judges 
of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice 
with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and 
ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but 
a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in 
hirn." If we but heed this admonition, he will re- 
ceive us graciously, and crown us with immortal 
riches, and honor. " Then shall our light break forth 
as the morning, and our health shall spring forth 
speedily — our righteousness shall go before us, and 
the glory of the Lord shall be our reward." "And 
he will make us to ride upon the high places of the 
earth, and eat the heritage of Jacob our Father, for 
the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." blessed 
promise for my Country — my Xation — our own, Chris- 
tian America. Here is a pledge of light, and health — 
a defense, before and behind, together with great exalt- 
ation, and National glory. Happy — 0, thrice "happy, 
is the Xation that is in such a case 7 ' — yea, "Happy 
is that people, whose God is the Lord ! M The Fam- 
ily, the Church, the Xation — all, all find Sanctuary in 
God the Lord — and pavilioned in him, no weapon 
formed against them, can prosper. 

And finally, the individual, hero-saint, who has 



JEREMIAH IN THE POTTEK'S HOUSE. 283 

faithfully " served his generation by the will of God," 
as Minister, or Layman, as Statesman, or as private 
Citizen, shall heir a victor's crown in Heaven. And 
his reward shall be in proportion to his achievements, 
and usefulness, on earth, in the various relations of 
life. This should stimulate us, one and all, to seek 
to "make our lives sublime" — to be men of mark, 
in our work for God, and humanity; and that "An 
abundant entrance, may be ministered unto us, into 
the everlasting kingdom, of our Lord and Saviour 
Jesus Christ" — that we may enter Heaven in triumph, 
" with songs, and everlasting joys upon our heads." 

And now, may the God of Nations, who has raised 
up, and honored this Nation, through so many years 
of unparalleled prosperity, save her, forever save her, 
from becoming "marred in the hands of the potter!" 
May her reproaches all be wiped away! May the 
last stain be taken from her lovely Escutcheon! May 
her Banner of beauty, of Heaven's own designing, 
wave on, as our ensign, indicating " Union and Lib- 
erty, now and forever, one and inseparable." May 
all her stars remain undimmed, on her broad field of 
azure blue — and ever and anon, may she add, star 
after star, to her shining galaxy — constituting a bea- 
con-light to all the Nations of earth, leading them to 
glory and to God. And under the shade-tree of 
Civil Government — of God's own right-hand plant- 



284 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



ing, may the millions of our freemen, join in, vrhh 
men and angels, v^ixh earth and heaven, to chant forth 
IronianueFs praises. Amen, and Amen. 

"The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are 
ended." 



CUR MARTYRED CHIEFTAIN". 



285 



DISCOURSE XI. 

OUR MARTYRED CHIEFTAIN, 

A Sermon, on the occasion of the Assassination of Abraham 
Lincoln, late President of the United States; — Preached 
in Benton Barracks, Missouri, to a vast congregation of Sol- 
diers — Officers and Privates — on Sunday, the 16^A day of 
April, 1865, and Published by request of the Soldiers. 

11 And the king said unto his servants, Knoic ye not that there 
is a prince and a great man fallen this day, in Israel?" — 2 
Samuel iii : 38. 

The Bible is a wonderful Book ! Even the History 
it contains, is the most instructive of all History. Thus 
it becomes the Instructor of the world. A great reser- 
voir, to which we may go, in any, and every emergency, 
assured of finding something appropriate to, and illus- 
trative of, the immediate occurrence, or event — no mat- 
ter how sudden, or startling it may be to the Nation 
or its Rulers. Hence, to this exhaustless reservoir — 
the Bible — we come to-day, while overwhelmed with 
grief, at the great calamity which has befallen us, and 
our Nation. 



286 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



Again — The greater portion of Bible History, is 
found to be typical, of something that is transpiring 
in our own times. And hence it is said, that "His- 
tory* is constantly reproducing itself" This is strik- 
ingly true of this Nation, raised up, and established 
by God himself — equally as much so, as was the 
Commonwealth of Israel, under the leadership of 
Moses, and Joshua. Hence it is, that in numerous 
instances, our history is a reproduction of the history 
given in the Bible, of the great Theocracy, or Com- 
monwealth of Israel. 

With this view, we ask attention to the text, in its 
historical connections, as being strikingly applicable 
to the momentous occasion, which assembles us in 
sorrow and sadness, this day. It is just such an 
occasion as the Nation has never seen before, and 
may never see again. Agonizing, and heart-rending I 
An event without a precedent, or a parallel, to the full 
extent of the gory tragedy ! 

Eighty -nine years ago, we became a Nation, with 
the date of our " Declaration of Independence"' — 
which was made good by a seven years' war, which 
ended in glory, and inaugurated Washington, our 
great leader, as the "Father of his Country" Time 
passed on, and our Father, had ample time, to prove 
himself "first in peace," as well as "first in war, and 
first in the hearts of his countrymen." And then, our 



OUR MARTYRED CHIEFTAIN. 



287 



Washington, in a "green old age," died in peace, on 
his own couch, in his own Mount Yernon home, by a 
nation honored, and by a nation wept. But there 
was a sweetness in our tears. It was after he had 
founded a nation by war, ruled it in peace, and saw, 
and exemplified, its benefits. His public service was 
over; his work was done — his "Farewell 7 ' to the peo- 
ple, was on record, and like old Jacob, "he gathers 
up his feet, and departs in peace." The Patriot could 
not covet a death, different front that of Washington. 

And still time swept on. The nation grew, and 
flourished. The war of 1812, was gloriously, and 
triumphantly fought: and proudly did we maintain, 
"the freedom of the seas." Administration succeeded 
administration, and lo ! President Harrison, then the 
idol of the nation, dies, in one month after his inau- 
guration, as President. The nation felt the shock, 
clothed itself in sackcloth, and wept. It was the first 
instance, of a President dying, while in office. But 
Harrison dies of disease — in the ordinary course of 
human events — lingers a moment, sai/s farewell, and 
expires in the Presidential mansion. We wept, but 
meekly bowed to this, as a stroke of Divine Provi- 
dence, and felt resigned. 

And still time swept by. Another war ensues, but 
of short duration, and closes, by opening up for us 
the vast domain, and gold, of California; making us, 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



more than ever, a nation, " ocean-bound" And again 
the nation is smitten: the war-worn hero, President 
Taylor, dies, in a few months after his induction into 
the Presidential office. And again we wept! But we 
meekly bowed to this stroke, as from our Heavenly 
Father — the chastisements of a Father's rod ! 

Time still sweeps on. The nation becomes strong 
and mighty— her flag admired, and honored, in all 
lands, and on all seas. When lo ! the war of the 
" Great Rebellion" is inaugurated. Traitorous fiends 
fire upon our flag, and seek to destroy the Govern- 
ment of our fathers, and to rear upon its ruins, a des- 
potism of slavery. In this crisis, our chosen and 
well-beloved Jloses — Abraham Lincoln, calls upon the 
people to rally under their flag, follow his lead, and 
he would rescue the land from the clutches of the 
traitorous brood — and thus become the Saviour of the 
Country, of which 'Washington was the Father. And 
nobly did he carry our standard, and maintain our 
cause, through a four years' bloody struggle. And 
when in full view of the promised land — the rebellion 
crushed, its power broken — its leaders flying like 
hunted beasts in the mountains — and the bow of 
promised peace, was just beginning to span the retir- 
ing cloud of rebellion, and we were just on the point 
of keeping jubilee, over a nation saved, through his 
instrumentality, when suddenly — Horror of Horrors! 



OUR MARTYRED CHIEFTAIN. 



289 



the assassin strikes down, the great and the good Lin- 
coln — the Country's Saviour; and in deepest grief we 
mourn, as we have never mourned before ! 

History has no parallel to this assassination. Bru- 
tus murdered Ccesar — -and Joah cruelly slew Abner, 
but neither can be compared to this sad, sad event, 
in its fiendish cruelty, and enormity of crime. Colum- 
bia, our noble " Goddess of Liberty" — though ac- 
knowledged by all to be, preeminently, 

" The queen of the world, and child of the skies," 

this day stands before humanity, draped in deepest 
mourning, while she wrings her hands in anguish, and 
weeps bitter tears over her fallen Chief — Abraham 
Lincoln ! The whole nation has a load on its heart, 
too intolerable to be borne. We find it hard to bow, 
as on former occasions, to this, as to a stroke from 
God. It is hard to feel that God's Providence has 
done it — when Devils unchained, Demons incarnate, 
unmitigated foes of God and man, have assassinated 
this our " prince, and great man, that hath fallen this 
day, in Israel " — Abraham Lincoln, the twice-chosen 
President of these United States. And this foul deed, 
perpetrated in the most cowardly, and dastardly man- 
ner. It does seem, as though hell were undeviled, to 
find spirits foul enough to perform such a horrible 
25 



290 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



deed. Under these circumstances, it is hard to bow 
to the stroke, as from God ! 

" No evil can from God proceed, 
; Tis only suffered, not decreed" 

In this light, we view it. An all-wise God, for some 
wise purpose of his own, suffered it, or permitted it 
to be done. In their rebel wrath, they willed to do it, 
and God permits it, intending to "make the wrath of 
man to praise him," while "the remainder of wrath 
he will restrain." 

" God moves in a mysterious way, 
His wonders to perform I" 

And while, 

" Blind unbelief is sure to err, 
And scan his works in vain; 
God is his own interpreter. 
And he will make it plain" 

All " clothed in sackcloth, and sitting in ashes," we 
exclaim, in the midst of our tears, " There is a Prince 
and a Great Man fallen this day in America!" 

Let us now briefly sketch this history, and its re- 
production, in our case. 

A civil war had been inaugurated in Israel. The 
Patriotism of the Country, was all arrayed on one 
side, under the leadership of the patriotic David — 
while Sin, Idolatry, and Rebellion against God, were 



OUR MARTYRED CHIEFTADT. 



291 



arrayed on the other, under the leadership of the en- 
vious, traitorous Saul. And so it is in our civil war, 
in this country. All the Patriotism of this Country, 
has been rallied on one side, under the leadership of 
the patriotic Lincoln — while Rebellion and Treason, 
are arrayed on the other, under the leadership of the 
envious, spiteful, and traitorous Jefferson Davis. 
Now look at the striking analogy — 

1. Said teas the attacking party. Rebellion made 
the onslaught — inaugurated the war. 

And so it has been with us. Rebels, when they 
stole our Forts, and fired on the Flag, at Sumter, in- 
augurated the war, just as our gallant and chosen 
Leader, Lincoln, was assuming the duties of the office 
to which he had been called. And "quick as the 
spark from smitten steel," the lofty Patriotism of 
our noble Chief, was fired, and he calls the Patriotism 
of his country, to arms! 

2. The principle which led to the attack. It was 
Envy — bitter, burning Jealousy. Saul had overheard 
the women chanting, "Saul hath slain his thousands, 
but David his tens of thousands." Thus giving the 
supreme ascendency to David. This was more than 
the envious, murderous heart, of the rebellious Saul 
could bear — and with this, as a starting-point, we had 
almost said, he " fired the Southern heart" — and he 
calls to arms, against David. 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



And so it has been with us. The rebellion springs 
from Envy — Southern jealousy of " their rights," 
claiming as their right, the privilege, and honor, of 
ruling the land for their own emolument, and to per- 
petuate their slaveholding aristocracy. They were 
jealous of the growing power, wealth, enterprise, and 
intelligence of what they were pleased to call "the 
North" — in the spirit of sectional hate. This spirit 
was indulged, and cultivated, until they lost all their 
patriotism — Lords over their slaves, they claimed to 
be noblemen, and lords over all who were not of the 
slaveholding aristocracy. Labor, though associated 
with intelligence, was despised — and American citi- 
zens were called "mud-sills," and " trash." And no 
marvel, that in this state of things, they determine to 
"rule or ruin" Not from patriotism, but for the 
honors and emoluments of office, and power, they 
were content to remain "in the Union," while they 
could govern it — dictate its policy, and receive the 
homage of their sister states of f reedom. How proudly 
and defiantly they boasted of their superiority, when 
they threatened to "dissolve the Union" — "one South- 
em man, equal to seven Yankees ! " And with the last 
vestige of patriotism gone, they exultantly threaten 
to rend the Union, "from turret to foundation-stone," 
unless allowed to have their own way — which was, to 
make serfs of all but themselves. 



OUR MARTYRED CHIEFTAIN. 



293 



And now, when under the leadership of the noble 
Lincoln, Patriots seize the reins of government, the 
H Southern heart is fired," and the call is to arms, 
against the government of their fathers. Kuthless 
hands tear down our flag, and plant the flag of re- 
bellion in its place. Like Saul and his host, they 
array themselves on the side of despotism, anarchy, 
and the foulest treason, that ever cursed the earth 
with its traitorous tread. 

3. The object of hate, in all the conflict. The ob- 
ject was David — the faultless, patriotic David. Saul 
never alleges that David was a bad man, unsafe, and 
not to be trusted. He never alleges that he, (David,) 
was the enemy of Israel, or that his policy would be 
injurious to, much less that it would be destructive of, 
the dearest interests of the Commonwealth. Still, in 
his selfishness, and malice, he wages war against 
him, who was faultlessly virtuous, and ardently pa- 
triotic. 

And just so it has been, with Southern rebels. 
When, and where, did "a dog," ever dare, "move his 
tongue," against the purity, honesty, and patriotism, 
of Abraham Lincoln? His undying devotion to the 
Union of these States, is undoubted; and his whole 
policy was shaped, with a view to the honor, glory, 
and perpetuity of his country. And such was the rare 
wisdom, sagacity, and statesmanship of the man, added 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



to his unbending integrity, and personal purity, that 
all are now constrained to admit that his policy, take 
it all in all, was the very wisest and best, that could 
have been adopted, to crush rebellion, forever, and 
secure the Union, perpetuity, and unbounded pros- 
perity, of this great, and good Government. Indeed, 
the only crime (?) of which Mr. Lincoln could be ac- 
cused, by his rebel foes, was his pure, loyal devotion 
to his country — the crime of Patriotism ! A man who 
had not a single thought, or impulse, aside from the 
welfare of this Nation ! 

And yet see how bitter and unrelenting was rebel 
hostility to our David. He is called a " Despot " — a 
"Tyrant" — a "hideous monster" — and his soldiers 
were christened, "Lincoln hirelings," and "Lincoln 
dogs" shame ! shame ! on such unrelenting hate ! 
It does seem as though, when a man becomes a Trai- 
tor, he is totally abandoned of God, and goodness, 
and his whole nature becomes a putrid mass of all 
that is hateful, pestiferous, and vile. Ajid it is only 
in this way, that we can account for the conduct of 
Jefferson Davis, and his rebel horde, in the progress 
of this w T ar — especially, as manifested tow T ard the 
good and great Leader, of our legions of patriot 
heroes, battling for the maintenance, and glory, of 
our Government. 

4. Their mode of warfare. This, on the part of 



OUR MARTYRED CHIEFTAIN. 



295 



Saul, was marked by cunning, craft, and cruelty. It 
was distinguished for false, and broke?i promises — a 
zig-zag, winding, and serpentine policy. 

And so it has been with Southern rebels, and their 
sympathizing minions of the North. And hence, the 
Snake is their own chosen emblem. They started 
out in a "refuge of lies" with which they "fired 
the Southern heart." Frightful stories of imaginary 
wrongs, were related, to alarm the ignorant, unlet- 
tered masses, and they flew to arms, lest "youhins" 
should come down and "subjugate we'uns," and make 
serfs, or slaves of them all. In this way, the boasted 
"chivalry" raised their armies. Hypocritical cun- 
ning, and craft, has marked their course, excelled 
alone, by their untold barbarous cruelty, which has 
been enough to make Devils blush. Their system of 
slavery, seems to have crushed out all refined sensi- 
bility, and every feeling of humanity, as well as all 
patriotism, and made them the willing slaves of the 
very worst of passions. And thus, this foul system, 
has culminated in this war against the best Govern- 
ment with which God has ever blessed mankind. 

5. Notice the character of the Leader of the patri- 
otic hosts, arrayed against Saul. It was the patriotic, 
philanthropic, faultless David. When a ruddy youth, 
he left his father's sheep, to go out on an errand 
for his country — to slay "Goliah of Gath," who had 



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DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



defied the armies of Israel: — and no sooner was thi3 
patriotic duty discharged, than he resumes his rural 
pursuits, as the keeper of his father's flocks. David, 
in some sense, was the Washington of his country. 

So with our Leader, in this crisis of our country. 
If it could be said of any mere earthly Ruler of a 
Nation, that "he teas faultless" that man was Abra- 
ham Lincoln — late President of the United States of 
America ! From the very day he was first chosen the 
Nation's Chief, to the day of his death, his whole soul 
seemed engrossed with nothing but his country's wel- 
fare! How to rescue and save it, from its Hood- 
dyed, traitorous foes, and insure its perpetuity, en- 
hance its glory, and add to its prosperity, in all time 
to come: these were the subjects which occupied his 
head and heart, and engrossed all his time. As a 
man, a heroic man — the noblest work of God — the 
whole Nation — nay. mankind, every-where. christened 
him " Honest." Indeed, it grew into a proverb, and 
"Honesty" was but another name for Abraham Lincoln I 

Pure, unmixed patriotism, welled up in his great 
heart, molded all his policy, and marked his every act, 
as the Nation's Executive, And this, added to a 
clear, sagacious mind, and the most lofty style of 
statesmanship, made him, above all others, the man for 
the emergency. We have still among us goodness, 
and greatness, in our statesmen, but no one man, com- 



OUR MARTYRED CHIEFTAIN. 



297 



bines v/ithin himself, all the qualities, which marked 
our chosen Chief, as the elect agent, to save the Nation. 
The same generation, rarely, if ever, produces more 
than one man, who comes up to this lofty standard. 
We have no other Abraham Lincoln ! How truth- 
fully, then, may it be said, that "A Prince, and a 
Great Man, hath fallen this day, in America!" 

Since the days of Washington, this Nation has been 
blessed with no man, that in all respects was the peer 
of Lincoln. Indeed, it is a question, had he lived to 
finish his second term, as President, whether he would 
not stand even higher, if possible, in the niche of 
fame, than he who was called the "Father of his 
Country" It is true, Washington made the Coun- 
try — but Lincoln saved it I Creation, is a great 
work — but it is said that Redemption is greater. It 
required more valor, and loftier statesmanship, to save 
this Nation from this fearful and wide-spread re- 
bellion, than it did, at first, to make good our immor- 
tal Declaration of Independence, and organize the Gov- 
ernment. And Lincoln was the chosen instrument, 
to do this great work — save the Nation I And nobly 
has he done it. With unprecedented valor, and 
matchless statesmanship, he has led us on, through a 
four years' war, crowned with victory at last. Rebels 
have been foiled, crushed, subdued, and the Nation 
saved. " Washington — the Father of his Country" — 



298 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



"Lincoln, the Saviour of his Country!'' Judge ye, 
which is the proudest name. 

It is true, he was stricken down by the hand of the 
assassin, before peace was declared. Yet. like Moses, 
he was in sight of the promised land. Moses led 
Israel through the wilderness, "forty years. 77 and 
brought them to the ford of Jordan. There he stood, 
on Nebo, and saw the vine-clad hills of Canaan, just 
before him. when he was called away, leaving Joshua, 
to lead the people over the river, and possess the 
land to which he had brought them, as their Law- 
giver, and Leader. So Lincoln, our Jloses, after be- 
ing to us a Lawgiver — Great Emancipator — giving 
4 * Liberty to all the inhabitants of the land/ 7 and 
strangling treason, comes right up to the ford — 
the crossing-place. Xow, God takes him to Heaven, 
and leaves us a Joshua, to lead us over — kill off 
the Canaanites. and possess the country, of which 
his " illustrious predecessor" was the acknowledged 
Saviour. 

The assassin has robbed him of life, but all rebels 
combined, can not take from him his good name. No! 
No ! There it stands, distinctly written on all the in- 
stitutions of our country, on all the best interests of 
humanity — on every scroll of Freedom — yea, on the 
very empyrean above, in letters of golden light. It 
is embalmed in a million hearts of Freemen — and is 



OUR MARTYRED CHIEFTAIN. 



299 



as immortal as mind, and as enduring as the throne 
of God. 

6. The policy of David. As we have seen, this 
was all for the elevation of the people — the salvation 
of the Commonwealth^ and the total discomfiture of 
its enemies. 

So with the policy of our Leader. The great idea 
of Lincoln was Human Freedom. His Emancipa- 
tion Proclamation — which, of itself, as a single act, 
would have made his memory immortal — although a 
war measure — in the exercise of the war power — yet 
it embodied the great ruling passion of Lincoln's life. 
His great ambition was, to have this entire nation, 
consecrated to Freedom — and Providence opened the 
door for him to carry out this passion of his great 
soul, and by the dash of his pen, to blot out Slavery 
forever — and make the domain of Freedom, coexten- 
sive with our vast territory-^— from ocean to ocean, 
and from gulf to lake — 

" From the center all round to the sea ! " 

And so, every feature of his policy. National eleva- 
tion, stability, and prosperity, were constantly kept in 
view. 

7. David's mode of warfare. He showed no malice 
toward persons, but made war solely against rebel- 
lion — not for personal aggrandizement, but to save the 



300 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



country. See the instance of his cutting off the skirt 
of Saul's garment, but sparing the old rebel's head. 

And so it has been with the kind-hearted, noble- 
souled, and lenient Lincoln. He only made war to 
subdue rebellion — not for personal spite, or to avenge 
personal wrongs, but all to save his country, and 
crush out forever, the foul spirit of Treason. Wit- 
ness his amnesty proclamations, and all his offers of 
pardon, to those w r ho lay down their arms — all except 
those who fathered the Treason, that sought the de- 
struction of the Nation — and in their case, he would 
only kill the Traitor, to get rid of the Treason. 

8. The relation existing between David and his pa- 
triotic host. The historian says, " Their hearts were 
knit together." This made the army strong. Wash- 
ington's army was invulnerable, and finally victorious, 
because of their attachment to their Commander-in- 
Chief. They would alw T ays follow, where Washington 
would lead, though it might be back and forth, across 
the Delaware, on the floating ice. 

And just so it is — or has been, in the relations ex- 
isting between our Great Commander-in-Chief, Abra- 
ham Lincoln, and the legions of patriot soldiers, com- 
posing the greatest army the w r orld ever saw. Their 
"hearts are knit" to their President. 0, how the 
army weeps to-day ! All along our lines — wherever 
" The boys in blue" are to be found, the voice of 



OUR MARTYRED CHIEFTAIN. 



301 



bitter weeping, goes up to heaven, over the fall of our 
great and glorious Chieftain. The whole Nation joins 
them in their lamentations. Like Mark Antony, in 
his oration over the dead body of Caesar, we must be 
excused, if tears take the place of words; " our hearts 
are in the coffin" with the murdered body of the be- 
loved Lincoln! "We must pause till they return!" 
Booth hilled him! Booth hilled him! Slew him in 
cold blood, just because Lincoln loved his country ! 
Blessed Martyr to Freedom, and Patriotism ! 

9. The results of the conflict. David grows "strong- 
er, and stronger" — while Saul grows "weaker, and 
weaker." This continues, until the proud form of the 
traitorous, rebellious Saul, trails the dust, and David 
is inaugurated Ruler, over all the happy land, saved 
by his own strong arm. 

And so it is in this war. God is on our side. The 
cause, and the Army, and Navy of the Union, grow 
" stronger, and stronger," under the masterly guidance 
of Lincoln ; while the Rebellion, with all its traitorous 
brood, grows "weaker, and weaker," and soon, yes, 
very soon, the proud forms of the boasted "chivalry" 
shall trail the dust, chained to the chariot wheels of 
our conquering, patriotic legions. And then our 
proud Flag shall wave in triumph, over a down- 
trodden, subjugated, if not utterly exterminated, rebel 
foe; and we shall sing again, 



302 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



"A union of lakes, and a union of lands, 
A union of hearts, and a union of hands — 
The Flag of our Union, forever ! " 

Abraham Lincoln, our noble Chief, who had fairly 
won all hearts, loyal to the Government, was in the 
very act of finishing the struggle — was almost ready 
to proclaim a jubilee, to the w T hole Nation — with his 
country saved, united, and free — when lo ! the hand 
of fiends, are brewed in his blood ! And we are struck 
dumb, by the sad intelligence! Looking away to 
Heaven through our tears, our hearts exclaim, 66 A 
prince, and a great man hath fallen this day in 
Israel" — Yea, in America! 

Sad day lo Patriots! But, far sadder day to 
Rebels. In the death of Abraham Lincoln, they 
lose their best friend — and by their agency in his 
assassination, they cut themselves off from all pleas 
for leniency — and close the door of mercy! The 
Armies of the Union, are ready now to say, in " their 
righteous indignation," if blood run rivulets, under 
Lincoln, if need be, it shall flow rivers, under Andrew 
Johnson. If it was knee-deep, under Lincoln, if 
necessary, to avenge his death, it shall be "blood to 
the bits of the horses' bridles," under Andrew John- 
son! Already, our noble, patriotic Joshua, is rising 
up in his majesty, to avenge the Patriot Martyr's 
blood — And as "the powers that be, are ordained of 



OUR MARTYRED CHIEFTAIN. 



303 



God," our hearts will respond, Amen! The day of 
leniency, is past — and against the leaders of the 
Rebellion, the door of mercy flies shut. True, it is 
written, " Vengeance is mine, and I will repay; saith 
the Lord" — Yet he will make use of the Union Army, 
and the strong arm of the Government, as the instru- 
ments to execute his vengeance, on these unmitigated 
foes of God and man. 

David, who represented the sovereignty of Israel, 
mourned the assassination of Abner by Joab — So, 
this whole Nation, mourns over the assassination of 
Lincoln, by the monster Booth. We have already 
said, the assassination of Abner, will bear no com- 
parison with that of Lincoln. Joab slew his victim 
under the guise of friendship — privately. But the 
savage Boo 4 h, slew Lincoln, slyly approaching him 
from behind, in a public "place, with foul blasphemies 
on his lips, as he flew in terror, before an outraged, 
enraged, and incensed multitude. And as he fled 
from his murdered victim, the very Flag of our 
Country seemed to become instinct with life, where 
it hung, in its ample folds, in front of the President. 
And this Flag, lays hold of the heel of the assassin, 
and throws him prostrate on the floor — And from 
this fall, caused by the Flag, he is so far disabled, as 
to lead to his capture, and tragical end. Thus, the 
very Flag, resents the insult offered to it, when he 



304 DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



who bore it so nobly, was slain. Booth struck at the 
heart of the Nation, but only killed Lincoln! The 
Flag is yet, instinct with life, and the Nation — the 
Government, saved by the murdered Lincoln, still 
lives — lives on, and on, and will live forever — with a 
Flag that can never more be insulted, with impunity. 

Abner was a manly, daring, and valorous warrior. 
He had fairly won the hearts of the people. And 
withal, he was a wise statesman. And whatever may 
be said of his former life, it must be admitted, that, 
at the time of his assassination, by Joab, he was 
engaged in one of the best acts of his life. He was 
engaged in a work of love, and patriotism, which must 
have gone far toward ending the war, by giving 
David an easy victory. Commissioned by David, he 
had gone out to use his mighty influence, his statesman- 
ship, and his diplomacy, in bringing over all the elders 
of Israel, in a body, to David. Now, for Joab, in 
the envious spirit of a rebel, to approach him under 
the guise of friendship, and slay him, was inexcusable. 
His conduct is without an apology. 

Notwithstanding Joab's crime was great, and palpa- 
ble, yet such was the leniency of David, that he leaves 
the murderous act, for God to avenge. He might, in 
justice, have brought him to condign, and immediate 
punishment, with murdered blood upon his head — and 
God's law, would have justified him in so doing. And 



OUR MARTYRED CHIEFTAIN. 



305 



just so, tlie law of God, will justify this Nation, in 
the most terrible punishment, of all the rebel crew — 
the devils incarnate — the offshoots of the slave power — 
who concocted, and carried out this bloody scheme 
of assassination — to murder the great champion of 
Freedom — the friend of Humanity — the Saviour of 
his country. God will avenge it with fire, and sword, 
in the hand of a bereaved, and incensed Army — All, 
in the conspiracy, must feel the blow, from Jefferson 
Davis, down to the cowardly assassin Booth, who was 
only the instrument, in the hand of the Arch- Traitor. 

To-day, with us, in common with our brother sol- 
diers, is a day of mourning. David called on all, to 
lament and mourn, over the death of Abner — and he, 
himself, became the chief mourner, following his 
remains, to the place of burial. So this Nation, is, 
to-day, one vast house of mourning. Humani+y, and 
Freedom, throughout the world, mourn the death of 
Lincoln — but this Nation claims the honored place, 
of chief mourner — and standing at his tomb, she 
exclaims, to all the world, "Know ye, that a prince, 
and a great man hath fallen this day in America!" 

However we may ornament, and honor the place 
where his sacred dust shall lie; yet a more enduring 
monument than marble, shall arise to his memory — 
with its base in the hearts of the people, but towering 
up to the heavens, inscribed with his deeds of glory. 
26 



306 



DISCOURSES FROM THE PULPIT. 



The honored place of the interment, of the mortal 
remains of Abraham Lincoln — his Sarcophagus, or 
tomb — wherever it may be, will become our National 
Mecca — our second Mount Vernon! To it, millions 
will make their pilgrimages; to gaze on the sacred 
spot, drop a tear to his memory, kindle afresh the 
fires of patrotism, and swear eternal fidelity to their 
Country, to Freedom, and to their God! And while 
we read the bright record of his deeds of greatness, 
and glory, nothing will be dearer, or more fondly 
cherished, in the heart of the true Patriot, than the 
recorded fact, that Abraham Lincoln, was a Chris- 
tian. And as a "Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ" 
he "sleeps in Jesus" — and awaits a resurrection into 
everlasting life. Thus, the Christian Religion, lights 
up the darkness of the tomb — and our martyred 
Chieftain, being numbered with the pious dead, is, 
all redolent with glory, crowned, throned, and scep- 
tered, in Heaven forever. 

0, friend of my Country I Nay — 0, thou Saviour 
of my Country! — Pure Patriot — Wise States- 
man — Champion of Freedom — An Honest Man — 
A Christian Hero! — Sleep sweetly — Thy memory 
is precious — Thy name Immortal — Thy home is 
Heaven ! 



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